《In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy》


 Chapter 1 Fox Demon

    Chapter 1 Fox Demon


    The bell rang three times, and Rodger opened his eyes.


    On the streets of Konoha, in a narrow apartment.


    All he saw was darkness. On a midsummer night, the wind chimes on the balcony swayed in the wind, making a lonely sound.


    At this time, a strange soul descended upon Konoha and took over Naruto''s body.


    [Ding! The Take It Easy System is loading]


    [7%]


    Rodger had a severe headache and everything in front of his eyes was blurry and blood red.


    ¡®Am I going blind?¡¯


    ¡®It hurts! Hiss~!¡¯


    ¡®It''s just a game. Do I have to die suddenly for this? How will I go to work tomorrow?¡¯


    ¡®I''m just about to transition to a full-time position. I''ve almost made it.¡¯


    As the pain gradually subsided, Rodger opened his eyes, and in the dim light, he saw a strange and cluttered room.


    The air was filled with a faint stench, and the walls were covered with old, moldy, pale yellow wallpaper. Clothes and books were scattered messily on the wooden floor.


    Rodger seemed to realize something and looked down at his hands.


    His pupils dted slightly, and with a cry, Rodger fell backward.


    ¡®My hand has shrunk?¡¯


    [System loading progress 13%]


    A mechanical synthesized voice echoed in his mind, and fragments of memory suddenly pierced into Rodger¡¯s mind, causing him to scream in pain and roll over on the bed.


    Voices kept drilling into his ears like ants, the pain almost making him faint.


    ¡®Is it that child? How disgusting!¡¯


    ¡®I told you not to y with him. Who knows what that freak might do!¡¯


    ¡®It was that fox demon who killed the Yondaime Hokage.¡¯


    ¡®Naruto, do you have the Will of Fire?¡¯


    ¡®Hokage-sama is the most powerful person in the vige and is the one who protects us. Naruto, you have to work hard to be Hokage too.¡¯


    "Hokage? Are you kidding me?" Rodger¡¯s head throbbed painfully.


    The surroundings were pitch ck, with two small holes not far away.


    He stumbled over, using all his strength to press his eyes against them, and saw there are people outside, all kinds of people. Their eyes were full of disdain, indifference, and resentment.


    ¡®Get lost! You monster!¡¯


    ¡®I won¡¯t sell anything to you! Get out!¡¯


    ¡®Why don''t you just die? How can you still have the courage to live in this world?! You monster!¡¯


    The cold emotions mixed with pain surged in his heart, almost suffocating Rodger. He turned over, gritted his teeth, and pounded his chest with all his might, and only then was he able to catch his breath.


    [System loading progress 17%]


    Rodger suddenly opened his eyes. Lying on the bed, he saw a slowly appearing panel in front of him. He had read many novels and yed many games, so he roughly understands his current situation.


    He had crossed over and be Uzumaki Naruto from Naruto. At the moment, he should still be in the Academy, and is about to face the Genin Graduation Exam.


    Whatforted him was that despite the transmigration, the system unique to outsiders was also fully equipped on him.


    ¡®It seemed to be still loading, but what kind of system was it?¡¯


    ¡®Whatever, having a system is better than having no system at all.¡¯


    Looking at the night scene outside the window, Rodger had no intention of sleeping. He turned over, got out of bed, and fumbled to turn on the room light.


    With a click, the bright light dispelled the uneasiness in his heart.


    "From now on, I am Uzumaki Naruto."


    Naruto ignored the messy room and the smelly table. No one could me an orphan who had no one to care for him for not tidying up. After all, there was no one even to scold him.


    Naruto sat at the table, took out paper and pen, and tried to write a line, automatically writing it in the Japanese Language.


    But Naruto could also understand it. He tried to say a sentence, and it seemed he had severalnguage choices. He could switch back and forth between three or fournguages. Although it was useless in this world, as long as he knew Japanese Language, it would be enough.


    He pulled open his clothes, but couldn''t see the seal of the Nine-Tailed Fox on his belly.


    ¡®This was a bit troublesome, the Double Four Symbols Seal.¡¯


    The Chakra leaking from the seal of the Kyubi flowed through his Chakra Pathway System, eventually turning into normal blue Chakra.


    Although he could temporarily use the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra, it was not a long-term solution.


    After thinking for a while, Naruto wrote down his training n on paper. In this world, naturally, only the strong have the right to speak.


    Being as strong as possible would also help his future growth.


    Then there was life. Naruto scratched his head, stood up, and walked to the dressing mirror. Looking at the young face in the mirror, he grinned broadly, baring his teeth.


    ¡®To hell with being Hokage!¡¯


    ¡®Who wants to be something like that and protect those who despise him? Dream on, better for them all to die! Bastards, trash!¡¯


    He vented all the negative emotions umted in his heart, and instantly felt a lot more rxed.


    ¡®Forget about bing Hokage, but it is still necessary to make my life better.¡¯


    ¡®To hell withpanions, the vige, the Will of Fire. Living was for enjoyment. Once the system finished loading, I can walk around the vige with my head held high.¡¯


    While humming a tune, Naruto wrote down his Genin training n on a piece of paper.


    ¡®Be the coolest guy in the vige!¡¯


    [System loading progress 34%]


    ¡­


    The next day, at daybreak.


    The first thing Naruto did upon waking was to pull up the panel to check the system''s loading progress. The damned loading speed was like a 2Gwork, which was really frustrating.


    [System loading progress 79%]


    Naruto yawned. He didn''t get much sleepst night. Seeing it was almost dawn, he could only drag himself out of bed to wash up.


    Thinking that he still had a few theoretical sses in the morning, he could just lie down in the ssroom and catch up on his sleep. Anyway, in the eyes of his ssmates, Naruto was always like this, and no one cared about such an ominous person.


    After washing up, Naruto spent another hour tidying up the room.


    Choosing his clothes before going out, Naruto had a really hard time. His previous outfit looked like that of a shy delinquent, and the big jacket was too hot for summer.


    After hesitating for a moment, Naruto chose a casual ck short-sleeved shirt with brown shorts, and did not take the goggles on the table.


    He is not a Genin yet, so he does not have a Konoha¡¯s forehead protector.


    "I''m heading out!" He shouted into the empty room, receiving no response, but he didn''t mind, and mmed the door shut.


    He lived in an old apartment building on Konoha Street. He had to go through many winding alleys to get out. Seeing people standing in the sunlight, Naruto paused for a moment.


    Until he saw their disapproving gazes, Naruto shrugged indifferently, lowered his head, and silently walked through the crowd.


    The vigers'' expressions were cold and indifferent, their eyes casting disdainful nces at Naruto before quickly looking away.


    [System loading progress 87%]


    At the Academy, Shikamaruzily scanned the crowd and then seemed to notice something. He nudged Choji next to him and pointed in a direction for Choji to look over there.


    "Isn''t that Naruto?" Choji stopped eating his chips, "Did he get beaten up on the road again?"


    "That should be it." Shikamaru showed a pair of dead fish eyes, "Those people are really excessive."


    Choji threw thest chip into his mouth, crunching it loudly.


    The two then swaggered towards the crowd, using advantage of Choji¡¯s round body to their advantage, squeezing through the crowd surrounding Naruto. After all, no matter how powerful these people who bullied Naruto were, they wouldn¡¯t dare to offend the Ino-Shika-Cho ns.

 Chapter 2 Sunlight

    Chapter 2 Sunlight


    "Ah, it''s Taikou and his gang."


    A group of three boys, led by Taikou, blocked Naruto''s path. One of them, who is shorter than Naruto, shoved him.


    "Youkai, I heard your dream is to be Hokage?"


    Shikamaru and Choji squeezed through the crowd just in time to hear the question. They thought Naruto would refute it, then loudly dered that he was going to be the man to be Hokage.


    However, Naruto remained unusually quiet.


    Sunlight streamed through the gates of the Academy, casting a ck and white line at his feet.


    Naruto stood in the sunlight, his blond hair seemed to have lost its former sharpness, but he didn''t shy away, and his gaze is fixed intently on Taikou.


    The childishness in him had faded, crushed by indifference.


    It was as if he had be a different person. Everything from before was like ashes, blown away cleanly by the summer breeze.


    "Your eyes are disgusting. Keep staring, and I''ll beat you up!"


    [System loading progress 99%]


    Another person stepped forward and shoved Naruto, causing him to take a few steps back.


    The surrounding people just watched, chatting andughing among themselves, with no intention of stepping forward to stop it.


    "Damn it! Those guys from the small ns are too much!" Choji was so angry that he was about to step forward to stop them.


    Shikamaru sighed, then said ¡°What a drag,¡± as he slowly walked towards Naruto too.


    [System loading progress 100%]


    [Option 1: Push down the three people in front of you and loudly dere that your dream is to be a Hokage stronger than the Yondaime Hokage! Reward: Proficiency in the Three Basic Techniques.]


    [Option 2: Deny your dream of bing Hokage and avoid conflict. Reward: The side effect of Chakra disorder in your body disappears.]


    Naruto saw the panel, but seeing that no one around him reacted, he immediately determined that he was the only one who could see it. Relieved, he focused on the options.


    The Three Basic Techniques were crucial for the graduation exam at the Academy. Mastering them would ensure his graduation. However, it¡¯s also because of the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra that the Chakra inside the body became disordered, preventing him from using Ninjutsu properly.


    One option was a shortcut, directly solving the immediate graduation issue.


    The other addressed the root cause of the Chakra disorder. Even if he still needs to spend time practicing the Three Body Technique afterwards, it looks more worthwhile.


    "That¡­ Naruto-kun..." Hinata, who appeared out from nowhere, said timidly.


    "Eh? What did you just say? I can''t hear you clearly!"


    The tall boy named Taikou didn''t seem to hear what Hinata said and looked directly at Naruto. As for Hinata, Taikoupletely disregarded her.


    "Naruto-kun didn''t do anything wrong¡­" Hinata, though scared, mustered her courage to speak.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? It''s disgusting."


    Taikou said rudely, not wanting to listen to Hinata at all.


    "I don''t want to be Hokage. Unlike you, I''m not that childish. That''s your ridiculous dream, isn''t it?" Naruto said, "But it''s also quite sad."


    "With your current strength, you might not even be a Shinobi in the future."


    Naruto said mercilessly as he pushed the leading Taikou hard.


    "Do you think you can be Hokage? Does anyone in your n have what it takes?"


    "You can''t! Neither can they!"


    "W-what are you saying?" Taikou stammered as he took a step back and looked at Naruto shock.


    Naruto''s gaze remained sharp as he stared straight at the leader, Taikou.


    "People change, Taikou."


    "Go back and ask your father, believe it or not, I can burn your house down tomorrow and nothing will happen to me!"


    "Use that muscle-bound brain of yours to think carefully about what you can and cannot do."


    "Ptui! What a joke!" Naruto spat in Taikou¡¯s face and left with a grim expression.


    Anyway, this is not the first or second time he has skipped sses, he was just doing it openly this time.


    Taikou was stunned, recalling Naruto''s ferocious tone just now, and didn''t dare to say a word.


    "You''re lying! We''re not like that!" The ashamed and angry voices of the two people came from behind. Naruto''s words seemed to have hit their sore spot.


    The boys who wanted to be Hokage were insecure and sensitive. Having their dreamsid bare in the sunlight made them jumpy.


    [The reward was sessfully distributed.]


    After a mechanical prompt, Naruto felt a cool sensation throughout his body, like drinking a cold drink on a hot day.


    He tried to sense the flow of Chakra within him. He could now feel the direction of his Chakra flow, which had be active and resonantpared to before.


    It was like a spring suddenly boiling, with every cell in his body being nourished by Chakra, bringing a refreshing sense offort.


    Naruto couldn''t help but shout, feeling a sense of tion.


    "Shikamaru, did I hear that right?" Choji tugged on Shikamaru''s clothes and asked as he watched Naruto leave, "Naruto said he doesn''t want to be Hokage anymore?"


    "Wasn''t that his dream? Why suddenly¡­?"


    "Who knows?" Shikamaru''s dead fish eyes shifted, and he said indifferently, "That guy was really scary just now. Besides, what''s so great about being Hokage?"


    "Busy all the time, no time to rx at all."


    "Enough about that. Naruto''s gone." Choji said, "If Iruka-sensei catches him skipping ss, he''s in for it!"


    Hinata stood in an inconspicuous corner of the crowd, watching Naruto leave with a conflicted expression. ss was about to start, but she was afraid that something might happen to Naruto.


    ¡®Naruto-kun must be in pain right now, right?¡¯


    Thinking of this, Hinata clenched her little fists.


    At this moment, she really wanted to chase after him, but shecked the courage. Just stepping forward to help had used up all her bravery. Now, in front of so many people¡­


    Without Naruto, the Academy was unusually quiet. When Iruka learned that Naruto had skipped ss, he lost his temper as usual.


    No one was messing around with paint buckets, and no one was causing a ruckus in the Academy. Everything seemed very harmonious.


    Until sunset, Iruka did not find any trace of Naruto on the Hokage Rock. The most mischievous kid in the ss seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.


    Just as Iruka started to panic, a soft voice called out.


    "Iruka-sensei?"


    "Hinata? What are you doing here?" Iruka turned his head and was slightly stunned.


    The girl stood timidly in the orange sunset. She lowered her head and dared not look at him, her face flushed, as if she had been caught doing something bad.


    "I...I came to look for Naruto-kun." The girl''s voice was barely audible. "Naruto-kun didn''te to ss all day... I''m worried¡­"


    Looking at Hinata''s very red face, Iruka smiled kindly and said, "Hinata, you are worried about Naruto too, right?"


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to find him. It''s gettingte. You should go home now, or your father will be worried."


    "No, no!" Hinata mustered her courage and said loudly, "Iruka-sensei, I...I want to help you find Naruto-kun!"


    Iruka was touched, and the smile on his face froze. He looked at the sky and said gently, " Alright, but only for half an hour. If we don''t find him, you must go home, okay?"


    "Yes! Thank you, Iruka-sensei!" Hinata nodded excitedly.


    "Ah? You were looking for me?" Naruto looked up and looked at the two of them in confusion.


    "Hinata, you''re here?" Naruto asked in surprise.


    "I¡­" Hinata lowered her head.


    "I asked Hinata to help me find you." Iruka exined, "I thought she might know where you were."


    "Is that so¡­" Naruto scratched his head, "Iruka-sensei, are you here because I skipped ss?"

 Chapter 3 Hinata-chan

    Chapter 3 Hinata-chan


    "I guess so." Iruka hesitated for a moment before replying, then asked as gently as possible, "But what I really want to know is, why you gave up on your dream?"


    "No reason, that kind of thing isn''t my dream." Naruto shrugged, "Iruka-sensei, you said the Hokage is the strongest in the vige, right?"


    "Yes, I did say that." Iruka nodded.


    "They''re right; I''m just a deadst. There is no way I can be Hokage, right?" Naruto asked back.


    "You can''t say that. As long as you are willing to work hard¡­" Iruka trailed off, feeling a bit at a loss. He roughly knew Naruto''s situation, but due to the ban of the Sandaime Hokage, he couldn''t say it clearly.


    Naruto tilted his head and looked at Iruka with a confused look on his face.


    "Iruka-sensei, I don''t want to be the Hokage anymore. I want a more reachable dream."


    "What dream?" Iruka''s forehead broke into a cold sweat. He didn''t know why he was getting wrapped up in a conversation with a child.


    "Maybe getting married to a kind wife and living like a normal adult." Naruto said while scratching his head.


    Iruka was both surprised and a little frightened. For Naruto, a simple dream like that was far more unattainable than bing the Hokage.


    ¡®Naruto, it is impossible for you to get married and have children in an ordinary way.¡¯


    These words got stuck in Iruka''s throat. When he thought of all the cold stares and exclusion aimed at the orphan, Iruka just felt ufortable.


    After all, the Kyubi is sealed in Naruto¡¯s body. It can be said that Naruto made a great contribution by bing the Jinchuriki for the rest of his life. Yet, Naruto, despite his contribution, was treated like an outcast.


    Iruka''s parents had died in the Kyubi¡¯s attack, but he couldn''t bring himself to hate the parentless boy in front of him.


    After all, it wasn''t Naruto who was wrong, it was Kyubi.


    Naruto was turned into the container of the Kyubi when he was born, living a life of resentment and ostracism until now.


    Suddenly, Iruka realized that Naruto might have grown up enough to understand the vigers'' disdain and hatred. When this thought formed in his mind, Iruka suddenly felt a chill down his spine.


    ¡®Once the seeds of hatred are nted in the heart of a Jinchuriki, the consequences will be disastrous!¡¯ For a moment, Naruto''s face was shadowed, but when Iruka looked again, he saw Naruto''s bright smile.


    "Naruto, your dream¡­"


    "What about it? It''s great, right, Iruka-sensei? " Naruto''s smile was still bright, " Iruka-sensei, you''re so old and still don''t have a girlfriend. You must have a lot of savings, right?"


    "Hey!" Iruka''s thought shattered upon hearing this, and he yelled with clenched fists, "Naruto!"


    "Help!" Naruto screamed and ran away.


    As the two yed around, Hinata, who had been blushing furiously the whole time, stood to the side. Her hands were tangled together, and she was mumbling something.


    "Alright, that''s enough." Iruka said sternly, "Make sure youe to school tomorrow! Naruto!"


    "Yes, Iruka-sensei." Naruto lowered his head, looking obedient.


    Both of them then looked towards Hinata, who was silent with her head lowered. She uttered an ¡®ah¡¯ and her face quickly turned red again.


    "Naruto, you should go home on your own. I''ll take Hinata home first. Will you be okay on your own?" Iruka said, holding his forehead.


    Just as Naruto was about to agree, the system interface suddenly popped up again.


    [Option 1: Pursue Sakura. Reward: S-Rank Ninjutsu.]


    [Option 2: Pursue Hinata, avoid ten years of detours. Reward: Kyubi¡¯s approval (you can use Kyubi¡¯s Chakra at will)]


    [Note: Option 1 will grant you immediate mastery of a random S-Rank Ninjutsu (with a certain probability of obtaining a rare Wood Release Ninjutsu), while Option 2 offers progressive rewards based on the pursuit''s progress.]


    ¡®Do I even need to think about this? The power of the Kyubi is notparable to an S-Rank Ninjutsu at all.¡¯


    ¡®Besides, even if there is no reward, if I had to choose between Sakura and Hinata, of course I would pick Hinata without hesitation.¡¯


    ¡®If nothing else, I should let my future children eat the soft one, right? Big is the truth after all!¡¯


    ¡®Choose the second option!¡¯


    [Task sessfully initiated. Please prioritizepletion.]


    "Iruka-sensei!" Naruto suddenly interrupted, "Let me walk Hinata home!"


    "Ah!" Hinata turned beet red upon hearing this and immediately turned away.


    "Huh?" Iruka looked at Naruto with some confusion.


    "I know where Hinata''s home is. I''ve sent her there before." Naruto exined with a smile, "Iruka-sensei, it¡¯s not on your way and would be too much trouble for you, right?"


    "This¡­" Iruka hesitated, but thinking about the cold demeanor of the Hyuga n¡¯s members, he agreed.


    "Alright then, Naruto, make sure you protect Hinata and act like a true gentleman!" Iruka said with a smile.


    "Yes! I''ll take good care of Hinata!" Naruto responded with a bright smile.


    After Iruka left, Naruto patted Hinata on the shoulder. She was startled, and tears welled up in her eyes.


    "It''s okay, I''ll walk you home, Hinata." Naruto smiled gently and his voice became much softer.


    "Thank you, N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata''s voice was very quiet.


    "Then, give me your hand."


    "W-why?" Hinata was startled, her face turning even redder, stuttering as she spoke.


    "It''s dangerous for a girl to walk alone at night. Holding hands will make us both feel safer, right?"


    "That''s true, but... Naruto-kun''s hand¡­" Hinata hesitated.


    "What''s wrong? Does it bother you? I''m sorry."


    "No! It''s not!" Hinata shook her head like a rattle, then carefully extended her hand, her heart pounding.


    When she felt the warmth of Naruto''s hand, a sense offort washed over her, instantly calming her anxious emotions.


    ¡®Naruto-kun didn''t lie. It does feel more reassuring.¡¯


    ¡®But this is already considered holding hands, right?¡¯


    ¡®What on earth was I thinking? Naruto-kun probably doesn''t see it that way.¡¯


    Looking at Naruto walking ahead of her, Hinata suddenly felt a wave of panic, ¡®Naruto-kun is truly a kind person at heart.¡¯


    Naruto, who was walking in front while holding Hinata''s hand, waspletely unaware of Hinata''s thoughts. Feeling the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra overflowing from his body and constantly circting in his Chakra Pathway System, he couldn''t help but feel delighted.


    ¡®Sure enough, it seeded.¡¯


    Naruto sent Hinata to the gate of the Hyuga n¡¯spound and stopped. Without a necessary reason, the Hyuga n didn''t wee outsiders, especially not him.


    "Thank you for walking me home, Naruto-kun." Hinata bowed to Naruto, her ears red, her slender neck flushed.


    "I should be thanking you. After all, Hinata, you were looking for me." Naruto waved at Hinata, "Have a good night''s sleep, Hinata-chan!"


    After saying that, Naruto turned and ran off in the opposite direction, disappearing into the night.


    Hinata lost herself in the calls of ¡®Hinata-chan¡¯ and whispered softly while clinging to the wooden door.


    "See you tomorrow, Naruto-kun."

 Chapter 4 Who Doesn’t Have a Hokage Relative?

    Chapter 4 Who Doesn¡¯t Have a Hokage Rtive?


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">With a creak, the apartment door was opened from the outside.


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">The dim hallway light sliced into the entranceway like a de, elongating Naruto''s shadow and casting a monstrous image on the shoe cab.


    He lowered his head to change his shoes, and turned on the light.


    Naruto stood on the balcony, feeling the breeze while a bowl of instant noodles on the small table behind him steamed. He had intended to buy some vegetables, but it was toote, and he was chased away with disgust.


    If there had been more people around or if Naruto had gone earlier, perhaps the shopkeeper wouldn¡¯t have shown such a disgusted expression.


    He wasn''t sure if the Anbu were still monitoring him, or if his words from earlier in the day had reached Sandaime Hokage''s ears.


    After all, a Jinchuriki was the vige''s most potent weapon. If their attitude toward the vige changed, it could lead to disastrous consequences.


    But Naruto didn''t care. He had no thoughts of revenge against the vige. He didn''t even harbor any dark thoughts in his mind. He just wanted to take it easy.


    It''s cool to take it easy, okay? With a system at his side and being the reincarnation of Asura, why not take the easy path if the system''s power surpasses that of the Kyubi and possibly any other force in this world?


    In order to gain everyone''s recognition, the original Naruto wants to be the Hokage and protects those who discriminated against and bullied him even if it means risking his life.


    This is too ridiculous. People live in this world to show their own value, not to gain value from others.


    When you walked on the streets and being looked at with disdain by others, you will feel inferior and sensitive, which leads to guilt and disappointment. This is a people-pleasing personality, hoping to be recognized and epted by others.


    The current Naruto is no longer the original Naruto. He knew well that always being a nice guy would only lead to being looked down upon. There was no need to seek others'' approval, and all he had to do is learn to make peace with himself.


    To live as an ordinary Shinobi and lead a fulfilling life.


    They are the ones who are wrong, after all, they are the people who wanted to benefit from the Kyubi, but don''t want to pay the price.


    What was called protection was, in reality, PUA (maniptive emotional abuse).


    Bing Hokage wasn''t Naruto''s dream, but the dream of the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the ambition of the higher-ups. They hoped that Naruto will serve the vige like the Yondaime Hokage.


    The summer night''s moonlight was gentle, enveloping Konoha. The night breeze brushed past the balcony, lifting Naruto''s hair from his forehead, and his gaze gradually became clear.


    He doesn''t want to be a Hokage, nor does he want to be recognized by others. He just wanted to live a mundane life and be stronger.


    The instant noodles had gone a bit cold, but Naruto finished them without changing his expression. After washing up, hey on his bed and slowly closed his eyes.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Not long after Naruto left his house, he ran into a kid with a big white hat and a blue scarf on the way. This kid was none other than the grandson of the Sandaime Hokage, Konohamaru.


    Konohamaru was hiding behind a camouge cloth against the wall. Seeing Naruto staring at him, he arrogantly shouted.


    "What are you looking at? Can''t you see I''m practicing my Ninjutsu here? My grandpa is the Hokage! Get lost!"


    Konohamaru red at Naruto, who was dazed by his scolding, and felt a bit disappointed, thinking that this person was no different from others.


    ¡®As soon as he hears that I am the Hokage¡¯s grandson, he will definitely listen to me and do what I say.¡¯


    However, Naruto smiled, took out a few 100 Ryo bills from his pocket and handed them to Konohamaru.


    A disappointed look appeared on Konohamaru¡¯s face and he waved his hand impatiently.


    "Get lost, I don''t want your money!"


    "This is your medical expenses and nutrition fees. You''re dead meat!" Naruto said, then proceed to give Konohamaru a beating.


    While hitting him, he also cursed aloud.


    "You think being the Hokage''s grandson makes you special! Who doesn''t have a Hokage rtive?!"


    ¡­


    In the Academy, Naruto sat in the back row with a tired face as he yawned.


    No one bothered him today, but when he walked into the ssroom, he could still feel the disgusted nces directed at him.


    On the podium, Iruka folded his lesson n, cleared his throat, and said, "Tomorrow is the Graduation Exam. This morning, there will be a mock exam on the Transformation Technique, and in the afternoon, there will be a mock exam for practical sses."


    As soon as he finished speaking, the ssroom became lively. Boys and girls whispered to each other, some were happy, some were nervous.


    "Transformation Technique, huh? I¡¯m good at that. Do you think I can draw the Transformation Technique in the Graduation Exam tomorrow?"


    "I''m not sure. The exam content is to randomly select one of the Three Basic Techniques. The probability is... hehe, about one in three."


    "The first ce must be Sasuke again. He has excellent grades in all subjects."


    "The deadst is definitely that person! Haha!"


    "That''s true. He looks like he doesn¡¯t have a brain and always does annoying things! I heard that he has failed the Graduation Exams for two years. This year, he probably won¡¯t graduate either."


    "That kind of person, even if he graduates, he won¡¯t be a Shinobi, right?"


    "Wherever he goes, he¡¯s a failure. It¡¯s really a sad and gloomy life. If I were him, I¡¯d rather die. I definitely would have no face to live in this world anymore.¡±


    Iruka, who was sitting on the podium, also heard some of the gossips and looked unhappy. However, he couldn''t do anything about it, so he could only knock on the desk to get the ss to be quiet.


    "Everyone, go outside and line up, one by one!"


    While waiting in line boringly, Naruto yawned again. Shikamaru noticed this and asked in confusion, "Where did you gost night?"


    "The instant noodles expired and gave me a stomachache." Naruto replied.


    "Sigh¡­ can''t you cook something yourself?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes at him, "At our age, we should be able to make some simple dishes."


    "Don¡¯t take the things you can easily do for granted, you idiot!" Naruto bumped his shoulder into Shikamaru lightly, "At least Teuchi-san won''t give me a cold shoulder."


    "Buying groceries on a daily basis is too conspicuous and troublesome, okay?"


    Hearing this, Shikamaru was slightly stunned. He suddenly realized the cold stares Naruto usually received. What seemed like simple things to him might not be so simple for Naruto.


    "I''m sorry, Naruto."


    "Why are you apologizing so politely?" Naruto nced at Shikamaru speechlessly, and then he shifted his gaze to the girl with long pink hair who was taking the exam.


    Haruno Sakura is even cuter in reality than in the manga, and her skin looks very fair among all the girls.


    The sound of crushed chips came from behind Shikamaru. Choji stood behind Shikamaru, and his small eyes swept over Shikamaru and Naruto, taking in everything that had just happened.


    The blonde Ino stood one position ahead of Naruto and, while turning to look for Sasuke, happened to see Naruto¡¯s gaze on Sakura. Seeing this, her lips couldn¡¯t help but curve into a smirk.


    "Naruto, what are you looking at?"


    Hearing this, Naruto turned his head and saw Ino¡¯s mischievous and gossipy smile.


    "Sasuke doesn¡¯t like women."


    "What?" Ino¡¯s face instantly fell, her eyes wide with shock, feeling like she had been hit by a ton of bricks!


    "Damn you! What did you say?"


    "Hey! Ino, don¡¯t get worked up!"


    "Let go, Ino! Naruto will die!" Choji didn''t even have time to eat his chips before rushing forward to mediate.


    "Let go! I¡¯m going to bite this bastard to death! Damn it The furious Ino was being restrained by Choji, and she desperately tried to beat up the annoying Naruto in front of her.


    Seeing this, Shikamaru hurriedly separated the two. At this moment, Iruka''s angry voice was heard in the ssroom.


    "Quiet out there!"


    "Next! Uchiha Sasuke!"

 Chapter 5 The Shackles of Fate

    Chapter 5 The Shackles of Fate


    "Uchiha Sasuke, perfect score!"


    With Iruka¡¯s approving voice, the students crowded at the door, trying to see the scene inside.


    "As expected of Sasuke!"


    "That''s the Uchiha n¡¯s genius, a perfect score!"


    ¡°Amazing!¡±


    Praise kepting, and all eyes focused on the boy with a cold expression, sharp eyebrows, and a high nose bridge, giving his face clean lines.


    His sideburns were sharp, and his eyes are carrying a habitual aloofness.


    Naruto was also looking at Sasuke, leisurely observing this future teammate of his.


    "Next, Uzumaki Naruto!"


    When his name was called, everyone started whispering. They discussed quietly while asionally ncing at Naruto.


    "The deadst guy, is he going to use his Sexy Technique again?"


    "Hahaha!"


    "That''s how he was kicked out by Iruka-senseist time."


    "How obscene! People who use that kind of Ninjutsu are so disgusting!"


    The discussion even made Sasuke, who was leaving, to turn around and nce in the door¡¯s direction. Naruto happened to enter the ssroom at this time, noticing Sasuke¡¯s gaze as he turned around.


    The assessment was brief, typically not exceeding a minute, so Sasuke didn¡¯t leave, and chose to stand there.


    After a moment of silence in the ssroom, Iruka¡¯s voice, tinged with hesitation, announced, "Uzumaki Naruto, perfect score!"


    ¡®A perfect score? He got a perfect score too!¡¯


    The students outside the door showed surprised expressions, and the surroundings fell silent, ¡®That guy who was always the deadst had scored perfectly in the exam.¡¯


    Even though the Three Basic Techniques didn¡¯t represent the final overall score, it was a crucial part of the Ninjutsu assessment. If someone got a perfect score in the Three Basic Techniques, it meant that they were sure to graduate.


    At this moment, the door opened, and Naruto walked out of the ssroom. His gaze swept over everyone, finally stopping on Sasuke in the distance.


    Sasuke¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He just nced at Naruto and then turned to leave.


    Naruto smiled and didn''t take it to heart, ¡®As expected, he was very tsundere.¡¯


    After resolving his Chakra disorder problem, Naruto didn¡¯t spend much time mastering the Three Basic Techniques. It might also have something to do with the natural talent of this body, after all, he has the bloodline of the Uzumaki n.


    Mastering the Three Basic Techniques meant he no longer needed to worry about the Graduation Exam.


    After the mock exam, they could leave directly. Naruto also didn¡¯t linger and walked straight out.


    When passing by Hinata, Naruto remembered how she had helped him out yesterday, so he stopped to say thank you.


    "I left in a hurry yesterday, so... I''m sorry I''m only thanking you now."


    "Thank you for helping me out, Hinata-chan."


    Hearing Naruto call her ¡®Hinata-chan¡¯ again, Hinata''s cheeks immediately flushed a noticeable red. She seemed a bit embarrassed but also happy.


    "I didn''t really help much... You don''t have to specifically thank me, Naruto-kun."


    Hinata looked exceptionally cute when she spoke like this. She was wearing a long-sleeved training outfit that covered her fair arms, with short hair reaching her shoulders, and her skin was as plump and shiny as if it had been filled with milk.


    No matter how one described her, just standing there, Hinata easily evoked the dignified aura of a Noble n¡¯s eldest daughter.


    It was precisely this dignified yet slightly shy demeanor that made her even more stunning, probably the so-called ¡®nobledy¡¯ persona.


    "Not at all, it''s all thanks to you, Hinata-chan." Naruto said, noticing that Hinata was bing more and more embarrassed.


    Only then did he realized there seemed to be more eyes on them. Naruto immediately recalled that his rtionship with Hinata wasn''t close enough yet.


    If he kept talking to her, it might lead to rumors about Hinata, so he knew it was time to retreat.


    "I''ll be going now, Hinata-chan. Anyway, thank you."


    Naruto waved as he turned back and slowly left the Academy¡¯s hallway.


    He thought to himself to prepare a gift next time he met Hinata, so it wouldn''t seem too abrupt.


    [Capturing Hinata, Kyubi¡¯s approval 2.2%]


    The sudden mechanical voice in his mind startled Naruto.


    Kyubi has always been a source of worry for him, and in the short term, it is indeed beneficial for him to gain Kyubi¡¯s power. However, Kyubi is just a stronger Chakra mass, essentially a temporary power.


    Since it is a power, it is easy for others to covet it. Whether it is Konoha who wants to use him as a weapon, or various forces that want to capture Kyubi in the future.


    Naruto is like a piece of meat on the chopping block. As long as a powerful person appears, they will target the Kyubi inside him.


    To be honest, Naruto would rather Kyubi be far away from him, ideally finding a new home and never having anything to do with him again.


    However, once Kyubi leaves his body, he, the Jinchuriki, couldn¡¯t survive. Such a heaven-defying setting made Naruto a bit frustrated. Since he now had the system, even if Kyubi is not in his body, Naruto can still use Kyubi¡¯s power.


    So, wouldn¡¯t it be best if Kyubi didn¡¯t cling to him?


    Naruto was very aware that having Kyubi was like Eren gaining the power of the Attack Titan. At the moment Eren gained that power, the things binding him were no longer the walls of Maria or the towering Titans, but the future that he saw, which symbolized his destiny.


    His fate was determined the moment he gained the Attack Titan, and he was destined to be unable to break free of the shackles that forced him to make the choice to destroy the world.


    The same is true for Naruto. Starting from obtaining Kyubi, to bing the Child of Prophecy, and obtaining Sage Body. Step by step, it was not Naruto who chose to save the world, nor was it Naruto who chose to be a Hokage.


    It was fate''s doing. Everything seemed like an unbreakable shackle, forged by Jiraiya¡¯s death and Neji¡¯s blood, sacrificed for fate.


    He wanted to take it easy, take it easy against that destined, unchangeable fate¡­ to live for himself.


    Nightfall.


    By the river in the forest, a bonfire was burning slowly, and several fish were being slowly roasted over the fire.


    A blond boy was fishing with a fishing rod. The moonlight in the forest was clear and still. asionally, the scales of fish could be seen glimmering on the rippling water.


    The silent forest and the cold white crescent moon are reflected on the water.


    With a rustling sound, a figure suddenly appeared beside Naruto, as if appearing out of thin air.


    ¡®Body Flicker Technique.¡¯


    Naruto had already sensed someone beside him and quickly turned to look. He then saw a Shinobi with long white hair standing in front of him.


    "Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto eximed, pretending to be surprised, "Why are you here?"


    The person who came was none other than Iruka¡¯s good friend, Konoha¡¯s top schemer, Mizuki.


    At this moment, Mizuki didn''t know that he was already under the surveince of Sandaime Hokage¡¯s crystal ball, and smiled at Naruto with a gentle face.


    "Naruto, do you want to be stronger?"

 Chapter 6 Scroll of Seals?

    Chapter 6 Scroll of Seals?


    Naruto was momentarily stunned by Mizuki¡¯s question. He looked at Mizuki and blinked, "Mizuki-sensei, what do you mean?"


    Mizuki¡¯s mental state was a bit strange, giving people an indescribable sinister vibe. It was as if he were under the influence of some hallucinogen, making him appear particrly evil.


    To be honest, even though Naruto was mentally prepared, he was still shocked the moment Mizuki''s face appeared.


    "Tomorrow is the Academy Graduation Exam, right?" Mizuki asked.


    "Yeah." Naruto nodded.


    "Then Naruto, are you sure you can pass the exam?" Mizuki asked, his eyes narrowing slightly, scrutinizing Naruto with a half-smiling gaze.


    "Well, you know me, Mizuki-sensei." Naruto scratched his head, pretending to be embarrassed, "I¡¯ll probably have to dy the graduation again this year."


    "Then, do you want to be stronger, Naruto? I happen to know a secret that will definitely help you pass the Graduation Exam."


    Hearing this, Naruto¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly.


    If Mizuki knew that Naruto had gotten a perfect score on the Transformation Technique test this afternoon, he wouldn¡¯t be saying this to Naruto now.


    However, Naruto had not seen Mizuki at the Academy today, so it was normal for him not to know about this, which meant that Mizuki had not looked for Iruka, but hade directly to him.


    Mizuki must be in a hurry due to some sudden change, pushing him to trick Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals.


    But the problem was that the Scroll of Seals was a conspiracy of the vige¡¯s higher-ups.


    Naruto was also extremely speechless about this.


    ¡®Are you guys worried about the mental state of the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki? Are you afraid that the Jinchuriki will develop hatred towards the vige?¡¯


    ¡®Now you are going to so much trouble to brainwash me with the idea ofrades'' recognition? What were you doing before?¡¯


    Speaking of which, this vige is also strange. The brain circuits of the higher-ups seemed to be in the gutter.


    If their purpose was to protect the information about the Jinch¨±riki and keep people from knowing Naruto is the Yondaime Hokage¡¯s son, then what the hell was the point of leaking the news about Kyubi?


    They tried their best to block the news that Naruto was the son of the Yondaime Hokage, but allowed the rumor that Naruto was a demon fox circting? This is really double standards, tantly adding insult to injury.


    Not even capitalists act this way. They refused to paypensation and then mentally manipted him. They let vigers target him, yet brainwash him to protect the vige. How hypocritical!


    The stage is set, actors are in ce, and a brainwashing drama targeting the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki is about to begin.


    As long as Naruto nodded in agreement, Mizuki would immediately notify Iruka that Naruto stole the Scroll of Seals. And Naruto could really easily steal it.


    It is unknown what had gone wrong with Mizuki¡¯s brain, as he genuinely believed a child, who hadn¡¯t even graduated, could steal something as important as the Scroll of Seals, which rivaled Kyubi in importance.


    But Mizuki''s eyes indeed showed unwavering belief.


    Naruto didn¡¯t want to agree. He had no interest in the Scroll of Seals. After all, with such a short time, he could only learn the Shadow Clone Technique, which wasn¡¯t very significant for someone with the system¡¯s support like him.


    Moreover, he didn''t want to get caught up in the tear-jerking situation and pretend to be moved, which would feel worse than death.


    Given how the vige treated him, he could ept protecting those who treated him equally in the future, but it is really hard for him to believe that he can be asked to protect the vige.


    ¡®Why should I repay hatred with kindness?¡¯


    ¡®No way!¡¯


    Just as Naruto was about to refuse, the system interface popped up again.


    [Option 1: Refuse Mizuki¡¯s invitation and tell him to get lost. Reward: Full level Fishing Mastery.]


    [Option 2: ept Mizuki¡¯s invitation and steal the Scroll of Seals. Reward: Impure World Reincarnation (Iplete)]


    After a quick nce, Naruto immediately made a choice in his heart.


    Although stealing the Scroll of Seals could grant him the A-rank jutsu, Shadow Clone Technique, and an iplete version of the Impure World Reincarnation, but what''s the use of the iplete version of Impure World Reincarnation? Using this move requires a living sacrifice! It was a tasteless, unworthy endeavor at present, especially since Naruto had no particr person he wanted to resurrect.


    Although the Shadow Clone Technique was very tempting to him, getting involved in such a troublesome matter would make him stood in passive position in the future.


    "Mizuki-sensei, I''m sorry but I must refuse." Naruto said calmly.


    "What?" Mizuki was a bit surprised.


    It seemed that he didn''t expect Naruto to reject him. After all, in his impression, Naruto was always a simple-minded, impulsive deadst.


    "Why? Naruto, this is a precious opportunity. If you give it up, you¡¯ll definitely regret it in the future!"


    "Mizuki-sensei, you don¡¯t need to waste your breath." Naruto nced at him, "I have made up my mind. Saying more won¡¯t change anything."


    "Naruto, don¡¯t you want to be stronger and be recognized by the people in the vige?" Mizuki made ast-ditch effort.


    "Ah, no need, that sounds like a hassle." Naruto said nonchntly, "Since I was a child, the people in the vige have always disliked me."


    "If I continue to act like this, it¡¯ll only make them hate me more."


    Hearing this, Mizuki was speechless for a moment.


    After a while, Mizuki''s voice sounded again, tinged with a trace of temptation, "Naruto, don''t you want to know why everyone in the vige treats you like that?"


    "You mean to say it¡¯s because I¡¯m the demon fox, right?" Naruto said emotionlessly, holding the fishing rod in his hand. Then, he saidzily, "The nine-tailed demon fox that destroyed the vige and killed the vigers?"


    "You! How do you know?" Mizuki took a few steps back and said in shock.


    "Come on, I¡¯m twelve, not three." Naruto turned to look at Mizuki, "Mizuki-sensei, I have ears."


    "I grew up in the vige, and from the moment I can remember, I wasn¡¯t liked. I had few friends. Shopkeepers always looked disgusted when they saw me, and so did the vigers."


    "I want to buy fresh vegetables too, and live like a normal person in the sunlight. But I¡¯m destined to hide in the shadows, watching my peers go home for dinner after school."


    "Mizuki-sensei, you¡¯ve been isted too, haven¡¯t you? You must understand. Suffering isn¡¯t a treasure; it¡¯s just unavoidable."


    ¡°No one stood up for me when I was bullied.¡±


    "But so what? I¡¯m not the demon fox. None of it has anything to do with me. I¡¯m just me, Uzumaki Naruto."


    "Why? You know everything! Don¡¯t you feel any resentment towards this vige?" Mizuki asked.


    Naruto withdrew his gaze and focused on the fishing rod under the moonlight, its hook dipping into the water, creating ripples.


    He didn¡¯t know whether the person who asked this question was Mizuki himself, or the person behind the scenes who controlled Mizuki.


    Was he dissatisfied with the vige? Of course, but he couldn¡¯t say that. At least, not now.


    After a long silence, a mechanical voice echoed in Naruto¡¯s mind.


    [Full-level Fishing Mastery has taken effect]


    A grass carp was caught by Naruto, and his voice was heard at the same time. The sound seemed very calm as it merged with the night breeze.


    "No."

 Chapter 7 I Have Very Few Friends

    Chapter 7 I Have Very Few Friends


    Mizuki eventually left, and Naruto continued fishing by the river. With the help of the Full-level Fishing Mastery buff, it wasn¡¯t long before he sessfully caught arge basket full of wild fish.


    Including the two he had already roasted and eaten, Naruto didn¡¯t actually need that many fish. Without a refrigerator at home, taking them back would just lead to spoge.


    Initially, Naruto just wanted to test how effective the Full-level Fishing Mastery was, but the result was far beyond his expectations.


    From the moment he cast his line, he caught fish continuously. Even without bait on the hook, as long as Naruto held the rod, fish would keeping.


    What stopped him from continuing fishing was not time or his stamina, but the fact that the fish basket, which was taller than his waist, was already full and could not hold any more fish. The fish were so packed that they could easily jump out with a slight struggle.


    Looking at the basket full of big, juicy fish, Naruto fell silent.


    Taking them home wasn¡¯t realistic, as without a refrigerator, he couldn¡¯t store them.


    Sell ??them? That wasn¡¯t an option either. No fish shop in the vige would buy fish from him. Not only would they not buy it, they would even suspect that Naruto stole it from somewhere.


    Following the principle of avoiding unnecessary trouble, Naruto abandoned the idea of selling the fish.


    That left only one option, which is to give them away.


    He had very few friends, so few that he could count them on one hand, so deciding whom to give them to required little deliberation.


    ¡®The Hyuga n would definitely not ept gifts from me, so they are ruled out! Iruka-sensei is a single guy, but he has always been kind to me after all, so he deserved a few extra fish.¡¯


    Choji''s house was too far away, so Naruto gave up on that. Shikamaru was a good candidate, so he could drop some off there too.


    He also excluded Sakura and Ino. At this stage, Naruto¡¯s rtionship with them wasn¡¯t very close, and suddenly giving them a strange gift would only cause trouble.


    "Is this a new Ninjutsu developed by Naruto?" The white-haired old man, the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was currently watching the scene in the crystal ball with a wide smile.


    This is Hiruzen¡¯s favorite voyeurism technique. Everything that happened to Naruto by the river just now was seen by him.


    "Hiruzen, you¡¯re too soft." A cold voice interrupted, "If the Jinchuriki harbors resentment towards the vige, it will be catastrophic for the vige!"


    "Danzo, Naruto has made his choice." Hiruzen stroked his gray beard and said seriously, "He wasn¡¯t swayed by Mizuki and rejected him."


    "Although the crystal ball can¡¯t capture sound, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not hard for you to know what Naruto said."


    "The Jinchuriki has suffered too much unfair treatment in the vige, so the conflict between the vigers and Naruto is difficult to reconcile. If we can''t resolve it, Kyubi might reappear."


    "Hmph!" Danzo snorted, and said indignantly, "Give him to me, and I guarantee he will be the vige¡¯s safest weapon."


    Hiruzen was displeased when he heard this, and his expression immediately darkened.


    "Danzo, I am the Hokage!"


    "I¡¯m well aware of what you¡¯ve been up to, Danzo, you should take care of yourself. Naruto is an importantpanion of the vige, not a cold weapon. The Root has gotten enough weapons, you don''t need to worry about Naruto''s affairs."


    Faced with Hiruzen¡¯s warning, Danzo was obviously unconvinced, but there¡¯s nothing he could do about it.


    The person sitting in that position was Sarutobi Hiruzen, not him, Shimura Danzo, and this almost be his lifetime regret.


    The Yondaime Hokage, the Sannin, Kakashi, and even the current Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, all of them have a close rtionship with Hiruzen. Danzo knew that the Hokage¡¯s position might only be passed back and forth among them.


    ¡®This old fox Hiruzen wanted to change the entire Konoha Vige by himself. He¡¯s delusional! Konoha Vige is not his vige alone!¡¯


    "Huruzen, you will regret this!" Danzo threw out this parting words before mming the door behind him.


    "Sigh¡­"


    Hiruzen didn''t say anything more, just sighed softly.


    ¡­


    Outside Shikamaru¡¯s house.


    Three knocks broke the quiet atmosphere, and the person who came to open the door was Nara Shikaku, the scar-faced Konoha''s top think tank and military strategist.


    As the door opened, the bright light from inside spilled out like silk threads, illuminating Naruto''s feet.


    Seeing Naruto covered in fishy smell, Shikaku was somewhat surprised.


    "Naruto? What brings you here? Isn''t tomorrow the Academy Graduation Exam?"


    The main reason why Shikaku was so surprised was because Naruto rarely came to his house. Even when he came to see Shikamaru, no matter how much he was invited inside, Naruto would nevere in.


    He would just stand far away under the shade of a tree, curiously and nervously observing the household.


    To others, Naruto might seem like a mischievous kid, but Shikaku knew about Naruto''s inferiorityplex and sensitivity, which is why he never told Shikamaru not to y with Naruto.


    Hearing Shikaku¡¯s questions, Naruto smiled brightly, then reached out and pushed the almost empty fish basket in front of Shikaku, and said loudly.


    "I caught too many fish today. I can''t eat them all, and I can''t store them, so I wanted to give some to Shikamaru."


    There were only five or six fish left in the basket, as Naruto had already given fish to everyone else, leaving only Shikamaru''s family.


    "This..." Shikaku scratched his head, looking at the fish in the basket with some difficulty, "Uncle will have to ask Auntie."


    The sound of cooking came from inside the house. At this time, Shikamaru seemed to hear Naruto¡¯s voice outside and came out. He poked his head out from behind his father, and his eyes lit up when he saw the basket of fish.


    "Naruto, you''re amazing. How did you catch so many fish?"


    "I don''t know either." Naruto scratched his head and said with a silly smile, "Maybe I have a talent for fishing."


    Shikaku, who was standing nearby, couldn''t help but be moved when he heard this. He thought to himself, ¡®For such a young child to have such skill in fishing, he must have gone through a lot of hardships to practice it.¡¯


    The big fish in the mountains are very smart and it is not easy to catch them even with bait. Shikaku had tried fishing there before, but gave up aftering back empty-handed a few times.


    "Naruto, wait a moment." Shikaku said, leaving Naruto and going back inside.


    After a while, he returned, cing a box of snacks and a box of food in Naruto''s hands. Shikaku looked at the somewhat bewildered Naruto and smiled.


    "This is our thanks for your gift, please ept it."


    Naruto looked at Shikaku, then looked down at the two boxes of food in his hands, then turned to look at Shikamaru beside him.


    "Take it." Shikamaru said, looking nonchnt as he held his head, "If my mom finds out you didn''t ept it, she would probably feel so guilty that she couldn''t sleep all night."


    "Thank you." Naruto said with a smile, then turned to leave.


    "Naruto!" Shikamaru suddenly called out to him, "We have the Graduation Exam tomorrow, don''t oversleep!"


    "Got it!" Naruto waved his hand, seemingly taking the advice to heart.


    Even after his figure disappeared into the night, Shikamaru''s worried expression didn''t ease.

 Chapter 8 Perfect Graduation

    Chapter 8 Perfect Graduation


    ¡°What a drag. I wonder how long it''ll take to eat all these fish." Shikamaru said, bending down and fiddling with the ck fish in the basket.


    "Naruto must have spent a lot of time at the river to catch these fish." Shikaku said, rubbing the scar on his face, "I used to fish there in the past, but I didn''t catch anything even after half a day."


    "That kid¡­ If I invite him for a meal, he''d surely refuse. I wonder if he liked our gift."


    "Don''t worry about that. Naruto is just like that." Shikamaru saidzily, "Dad, you can be quite intimidating."


    "You brat, what are you talking about?"


    "Naruto is used to being alone. Although he seems indifferent to many things, being invited to a family dinner would only make him feel awkward and ufortable." Shikamaru said as he stood up.


    Shikaku didn''t say anything, and thinking about Naruto''s life experience, he fell into a long silence.


    ¡­


    The next day, the Academy Graduation Exam began.


    The Academy¡¯s entrance was much more lively than usual, with many parents apanying their children for the Graduation Exam, gathering noisily at the entrance.


    Before the exam started, the area was usually cleared to prevent the parents from being too noisy and affecting the exam.


    Naruto arrived at the school early, sitting on the swing under the big green tree, until he saw Hinata passing by and jumped down to approach her.


    He wasn''t wearing his usual orange jacket today, but a simple ck T-shirt. The cotton jacket was too hot, and he still didn''t have the courage to wear it out.


    "Hinata, good morning."


    "G-good morning, Naruto-kun."


    Hinata was startled, and her face instantly turned red. She avoided Naruto''s gaze and responded in a small, stuttering voice.


    "This is for you." Naruto said, taking out a small object from behind his back.


    It was a small wooden carving, vividly depicting a chibi version of Hinata. The carving was only about the size of three fingers and looked extremely cute.


    "Did you make this yourself, Naruto-kun?" Hinata blushed, but her eyes could no longer move away from the small wooden carving.


    "Yeah, I happen to know a bit about carving, so... I made it for you."


    In fact, he knew more than just a bit. Before crossing over, he had been learning wood carving from his master since he could remember. He had practiced diligently for fifteen years through all seasons, never stopping during summer or winter breaks.


    Hinata''s face turned even redder as she epted the carving and softly thanked him.


    "I remember your grades are always very good, right? Then do your best in the exam." Naruto said, waving goodbye as he turned to leave.


    [Kyubi''s approval 2.2%]


    ¡®The system is indeed not so easy to fool.¡¯


    The wooden carving could make Hinata blush deeply, but the system seems to have noticed Naruto''s attempt of cheating points.


    The system made a fair judgment on Naruto''s attempt to take advantage of the loophole. Although the repetitive actions are effective on Hinata, they were not on the system.


    ¡®It seems I need to be more sincere.¡¯ Naruto muttered in his heart.


    At this time, Hinata was still very cute, but she¡¯s even more reserved than in the anime. She wore a tracksuit and had short hair that reached her ears.


    Although she speaks in a soft voice, she is very polite to others and has all the attributes of a perfect wife. She is a perfect youngdy in every aspect.


    To be honest, Naruto couldn''t understand why such a girl would like him, ¡®What did Hinata see in me?¡¯


    The Graduation Exam was held in a separate ssroom. Before that, the students taking the exam would be gathered in arge ssroom and wait for their names to be called.


    "The exam begins!"


    Iruka''s stern voice rang out, followed by the electronic bell of the Academy.


    The exam time was short, with one of the Three Basic Techniques chosen for the content. Naruto''s ss was scheduled for the first session, and after ten minutes, a few students had alreadypleted their exams.


    Not many people can receive the forehead protector. It¡¯s roughly a third of them. And this is just the Graduation Exam. After all, if they want to be a real Genin, they have to pass the test of the Jonin Instructor as well.


    "Haruno Sakura!"


    "Present!"


    Naruto caught a glimpse of a pink figure quickly ran towards the adjacent ssroom. He happened to be sitting by the door and could easily hear Iruka''s voice.


    "The Clone Technique."


    "Yes, Iruka-sensei!"


    "Very good, excellent score."


    Sakura''s excited voice could be heard, "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."


    "Clone Technique, huh?" Naruto muttered, thinking back to his own practice and finding it not too difficult.


    The passing standard was to create a clone with almost no ws, and creating two would be considered excellent. As for the perfect score, the conditions are very harsh.


    For example, Naruto recalled he had seen Sasuke created three indistinguishable clones in the Clone Technique test some time ago. So it can be seen how hard it is to get perfect score.


    Sasuke was called next. Before he left the ssroom, he nced at Naruto sitting by the door. Seeing this, Naruto raised an eyebrow but didn''t say anything.


    "Uzumaki Naruto!"


    After about half an hour, Naruto''s name was finally called.


    To his surprise, Naruto drew the Body Recement Technique, which is a more difficult Ninjutsu. Although it is also one of the basic Ninjutsu, it was a step above the Transformation Technique and Clone Technique in difficulty.


    The main challengey in the speed of forming the hand seals. The assessment criteria for the Body Recement Technique are speed and uracy. Speed tested how fast one could form the hand seals, and uracy tested the perfection of the technique.


    If one put their heart into it, passing wasn''t difficult, and with effort, it was possible to obtain excellent score.


    "Hey? Someone drew the Body Recement Technique!" Someone in the ss shouted, and all of a sudden, those who had taken the exam and those waiting for their turn all gathered around the doors of the examination ssroom.


    "What kind of bad luck did Naruto have? He actually drew the Body Recement Technique, which we rarely see?" Shikamaru mumbled, frowning slightly.


    Everyone felt that it doesn''t matter which subject Naruto draws, after all, based on his skill, he will fail.


    However, after eating the fish Naruto had caught yesterday, Shikamaru suddenly felt a sense of guilt. He vowed not tough no matter how funny it was, feeling it would be wrong to do so.


    This wasn''t a joke, as it could affect his karma.


    "Hahaha! I hope that guy doesn''t transform into something weird!" Inoughed gleefully while pping Shikamaru''s back.


    "Remember thest time he did the Body Recement Technique? He turned into a half-human, half-log thing. It had meughing so hard I almost couldn''t breathe!"


    Shikamaru didn''t react and just shrugged, "That''s what Naruto is like. He tries so hard but still can''t perform the technique properly."


    The exam didn''t take too long, and Iruka''s voice, tinged with hesitation and a hint of surprise, could be heard.


    "Perfect score."


    "What did Iruka-sensei said? Perfect score?" Ino asked, looking at Shikamaru with a questioning gaze.


    "Why ask me?" Shikamaru replied indifferently, "Iruka-sensei didn''t call out the name."


    "Uzumaki Naruto, perfect score!"

 Chapter 9 Dreams

    Chapter 9 Dreams


    ¡°Perfect score? Amazing." Sakura muttered, stunned for a moment, "Naruto seems different from before."


    Ino waspletely dumbfounded, thinking to herself, ¡®Today is really strange. Howe thatst-ce guy be so powerful now?¡¯


    "Tsk, that guy" Inuzuka Kiba muttered and walked away with the white puppy on his head.


    As a member of the truancy trio, Kiba was thankful that Naruto''s poor grades kept him from being the worst in the ss.


    Sasuke, after watching for a while, also turned away, his eyes reflecting the lush trees at the end of the corridor, showing his usual indifferent demeanor.


    "Sa...Sasuke-kun, since we graduated, can we have a meal together?" A girl who had just emerged from the corridor''s corner asked as she nervously clutched her forehead protector. It was obvious that she had just passed the exam.


    "I have things to do, find someone else." Sasuke said coldly. He was a proud person who did not allow himself to stagnate, so he intended to go back and redouble his training.


    The hatred for his n''s extermination drove him to live, and aside from that, he had no interest in anything else, so without hesitation, he refused the girl.


    Sakura, in the crowd, watched the scene of the girl being rejected by Sasuke at the end of the corridor, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Suddenly, a hand pped her shoulder, startling her.


    "Ino, what are you doing?"


    "Hehe, stop looking. Sasuke-kun won''t go on a date with you alone." Ino said as she looked at Sakura smugly.


    For some reason, Naruto''s annoying face shed through her mind, and his vile voice echoed in her ears.


    "Sasuke doesn''t like women! Wo! Men!"


    "Ah!!!! Damn it!" Ino suddenly squatted on the ground with her head in her hands, her face twisted in pain.


    After passing the Graduation Exam sessfully, Naruto''s life was back on track. During the three-day break, Naruto waszily lying at home for two days.


    Naturally, he did not meet Konohamaru.


    On thest day of the break, as Naruto was dozing off, the sunlight filtered through the window onto him, making him feel warm and cozy.


    Suddenly, a dazzling light made Naruto frown and he opened his eyes directly.


    An Anbu¡¯s member wearing an animal mask was squatting on the tree outside the window, his cold eyes visible through the holes in the mask, his voice emotionless.


    "Hokage-sama wants to see you."


    After saying this, without giving Naruto a chance to react, the Anbu¡¯s member vanished instantly.


    Naruto stared at the ceiling for several minutes, confirming that someone had indeed been there, ¡®But where did he go?¡¯


    "Go¡­"


    "The sun is so warm andfortable, just like soaking in hot spring water."


    "Hot spring."


    Even breaths sounded as Naruto fell asleep again.


    When he woke up, it was already dark.


    There was no light in the room. A dark figure was sitting at the desk, flipping through Naruto''s training n. In the dim light, the rustling pages sound quietly, suddenly stopping after a while.


    "Ah, you¡¯re awake." An old and familiar voice sounded, with a hint of gentleness and kindness.


    When the light came on, the room was directly illuminated.


    The Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was sitting at the desk, and he turned his head to look at Naruto with a smile. On the desk were Naruto''s brand new forehead protector, diary, and recipe book.


    "Hokage-sama." Naruto, groggy from sleep, rubbed his eyes and called out.


    "Didn''t you call me Grandpa Hokage before?" Hiruzen was stunned for a moment, thenughed heartily, "What''s wrong? Now that you''re a Shinobi, you''re bing distant?"


    "Hehe." Naruto scratched his head a little embarrassedly, "I am already a qualified Shinobi now, so it is not appropriate to call you that."


    Hearing this, Hiruzen smiled and let it go, then asked, "Did you forget something today?"


    "Something?" Naruto looked puzzled. After thinking for a long time, he finally remembered that an Anbu seemed to havee and asked him to go see the Hokage.


    "Ah! I forgot!"


    "You little rascal!" Hiruzen sighed helplessly, "But it''s normal for you to rest."


    "Hokage-sama, is there something you want to talk to me about?" Naruto asked.


    "Well, it¡¯s not really something important." Hiruzen said, "I wanted to ask about your dreams for the future."


    "My dream is take it easy." Naruto said without thinking.


    "Take it easy?" Hiruzen was puzzled.


    "It means living a stable and rxed life," Naruto exined.


    "Have young people be like this now? I guess I¡¯m out of touch with the times." Hiruzen said self-deprecatingly.


    "But Naruto, wasn¡¯t your dream to be the Hokage?"


    "What is life like after bing Hokage? Are you happy?" Naruto asked.


    "Well," Hiruzen coughed and said, "I''m usually quite busy, and sometimes, Konohamaru wouldin that I can¡¯t spend time with him."


    "But in order to protect the vige and its people, this responsibility drives me forward, even to the point of risking my life for the vige at any time. I think I am probably happy."


    "Well, that¡¯s is the life of the Hokage-sama. It sounds tough." Naruto said, sitting cross-legged on the bed, "But I don¡¯t want to live such a hard life. I don¡¯t want to be looked at with strange eyes anymore."


    "For someone like me, even to have a fresh meal, I have to consider whether the store owner will sell me the vegetables. Even if I be the Hokage, nothing will change."


    "Naruto, if you be the Hokage, the people in the vige will definitely respect and love you." Hiruzen tried to persuade.


    "But Hokage-sama, I''m doing pretty well now." Naruto said, holding his head. "If I don''t make mistakes and slowly be an ordinary person, everyone will forget their hatred towards me."


    "Although I don¡¯t know why so many people are hostile to me, I think by bing a Shinobi, I probably won''t have to deal with such looks anymore."


    Hiruzen wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat, and he didn''t have the courage to say them out loud. He knew that it was his negligence that caused a child to be what he is now.


    Rome wasn''t built in a day. Naruto is an optimistic person by nature, and it is obvious that he has be like this because of the hostility he has suffered over the years.


    If he wanted to change Naruto''s attitude, he may need to guide him slowly in the future.


    "Naruto, if the enemy breaks into the vige in the future and wants to harm the people you care about, what will you do then?" Hiruzen asked.


    Naruto thought about it, and after thinking for a moment, he looked at Hiruzen and said seriously.


    "I don¡¯t know."


    ¡­


    Hiruzen left without saying more.


    Naruto sat at the desk where Hiruzen had been, touching the forehead protector, his gaze gradually turning indifferent. Although this system appeared to be a ¡®take it easy¡¯ system, it was actually apetitive one.


    Naruto could take it easy, but his strength would continuously grow. If there¡¯s a more rxed way to be stronger, why not take it easy?


    Take it easy yourself, and let otherspete.


    In this terrifying world where strength reigns supreme, having no power means being at the mercy of others.

 Chapter 10 The Shinobi World

    Chapter 10 The Shinobi World


    The next morning, Naruto struggled to wake up early.


    Three consecutive days of rest made Naruto almost forget that he was still a Shinobi. In this world without smartphones and withputers being unaffordable, there weren''t many entertainment options.


    Naruto couldn¡¯t understand it. In the Shinobi World, there was clearly electricity. And this electricity wasn¡¯t generated by Lightning Release from human bodies, it was actual civilian electricity.


    This showed that the technological level of this world had already entered the electrical age. Electric poles can be seen everywhere in Konoha Vige, and there are televisions, refrigerators, and even air conditioners and washing machines and dryers.


    Naruto was currently in a situation where he was an orphan living on welfare assistance, a Genin with no background, no money, and no abilities.


    His old refrigerator had long been broken, and despite scratching his head for a long time, he had no idea how to fix it. As a result, on his first day after crossing over, he ended up with several bottles of expired milk.


    But Naruto¡¯s welfare allowance was still fairly substantial. As long as he didn''t need to buyrge items, it was enough to meet his normal living expenses.


    Generally, the welfare allowance would stop being issued the moment Naruto became a Shinobi. After that, he would have to rely onpleting various missions to support himself.


    After spending half a month in this world, Naruto had a general understanding of its technology. The technological development here was rtively weak, more like a skewed technological tree.


    The appearance of Shinobi had pushed the development of technology, but the miraculous energy called Chakra had also hindered technological progress in some areas.


    For example, Hiruzen, who can use all Five Chakra Attributes, didn¡¯t need a lighter to light his pipe and could monitor people with a crystal ball.


    The power and convenience of Ninjutsu made people focus on territorial disputes and battles. Since the establishment of Konoha Vige by the God of Shinobi, the Shodaime Hokage, countless Shinobi World Wars had been fought.


    Under the shadow of war, rapid technological development was difficult. Since Shinobi are the protagonists of this world, technology naturally centered around their needs.


    Therefore, for the sake of convenience,munication devices existed within the vige. But inter-country or inter-vigemunication systems were outdated due to the sensitivity of information.


    When necessary, technology had to give way to Ninjutsu.


    What Naruto was more concerned about was not just the skewed technological tree but also the level of weaponry in this world.


    Shinobi mostly used traditional cold weapons, and the most advanced ones were Chakra Short Swords like those used by Kakashi¡¯s father, Konoha''s White Fang.


    Or maybe it''s a weapon transformed from a summoned beast, such as the Hiruzen¡¯s Monkey King, Enma.


    Another example is the Seven Ninja Swords from Kirigakure.


    However, the so-called artifacts such as the Kusanagi Sword, the Totsuka Sword, and the treasures left by the Sage of Six Paths, such as the Bashosen, Kohaku no Johei, Shichiseiken, and Benihisago, seemed somewhat unimpressive.


    By the time they came out, they were no longer able to defeat the Kekkei Genkai cheaters that were running rampant everywhere.


    But what about hot weapons?


    It seems that apart from the Akatsuki¡¯s member, Sasori, who was born in Sunagakure and has powerful hot weapons, and the Asura Path of Pain used by Nagato, who had tracking missiles andser cannons, hot weapons weren''tmon.


    The development of firearms seemed to rely on Puppet Masters. In the distant Land of Snow, although advanced technological weapons like Chakra Armor and steam-powered airships and boats had appeared, they were still limited by their geographical conditions and primarily usedrge kunaiunchers.


    The Land of Sky even had flying devices and aerial fortresses. Although this aircraft carrier was not nuclear-powered, it still had a certain deterrent effect.


    Overall, due to the factors of war, the conflicts among the Great Shinobi Viges have umted for a long time, making it difficult to achieve peace.


    Under this premise, Shinobi, as the main force in activebat, naturally held a higher status than technology. Technology could not develop independently of Shinobi for the time being and is still very limited.


    The appearance of Shinobi changed the world¡¯s structure, and the Cold War-like state of the world further limited the development of science and technology.


    After washing up, Naruto looked at his sleepy self in the mirror and couldn''t help but yawn. He threw his toothbrush into the cup, ending his random thoughts in the washroom.


    Naruto got dressed and left the house. By the time he arrived at the Academy, the ssroom was already quite full. His slightlyte arrival drew some attention, but no one came up to greet him.


    Everyone was engrossed in discussing who their future teammates might be and which Jonin would be leading their team. After all, Genin Teams were always formed in groups of three.


    Since the end of the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade, as the Medical-nin among the Sannin, has been recognized by the top management for her role in the team.


    To a certain extent, having a female Medical-nin in the team significantly increased the survival rate and mission sess rate of the team. Since then, the tradition of forming teams with two males and one female has been retained.


    This was Konoha''s official exnation, but Naruto understood that this was only part of the story. The more pressing reason was that Konoha had been heavily depleted by years of continuous warfare.


    A Shinobi Vige was essentially a militarized camp, and wars involved indiscriminate charges and brutal battles. It was unrealistic to expect every three-person team to have a female Medical-nin.


    Therefore, after when Tsunade proposed the idea of teams with two males and one female, the higher-ups were initially unmoved. Some even thought it was an overly idealistic idea proposed by Tsunade because she was too sad after her brother, Nawaki''s death.


    However, the continuous wars eventually forced the higher-ups to ept Tsunade''s proposal. The high casualty rates had left Konoha with few people to send to the battlefield. In the end, even the young ones had to fight.


    If they don''t equip the team with Medical-nin, it seemed that even the elderly and women might have to take up kunai and fight.


    "Naruto, aren''t you curious about who your teammates will be?" Choji asked, nudging Naruto, who was daydreaming with a nk expression.


    ¡°Not curious at all. I couldn''t care less." Naruto said, resting his head in boredom, "Even if others are nervous, why are you three joining the excitement?"


    As he spoke, Naruto''s eyes swept over Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.


    "The Ino¨CShika¨CCho formation of the vige. If I were the Hokage, I would never separate you."


    Hearing this, Ino groaned andined, " Teaming up with these two? How annoying!"


    "What a drag." Shikamaru muttered.


    "Hehe." Shikamaru seemed quite happy, perhaps because this way he wouldn''t have to part with his childhood friends.


    Maybe it was because they had grown up together, Shikamaru and Choji never saw Ino as a girl.


    And Ino, whose eyes were always on Sasuke, also had a tomboyish personality.

 Chapter 11 Team 7’s First Intelligence Sharing

    Chapter 11 Team 7¡¯s First Intelligence Sharing


    Iruka entered the ssroom to announce the team arrangements, and sure enough, they were arranged in teams of three.


    "Team Seven!"


    Hearing this, Naruto was momentarily stunned, ¡®The first on the list was Team 7? It must have been a decision made after much consideration by Sandaime.¡¯


    ¡®However, will the team arrangement be different from that in the original work?¡¯


    ¡®The first ce in this graduation exam is me, the second is Sasuke, and the third is Sakura. If they only look at the results, wouldn''t it be a bit biased to put us all in the same team?¡¯


    "Haruno Sakura!"


    When called, Sakura froze for a moment, then became nervous again.


    "Uzumaki Naruto!"


    ¡®Sure enough.¡¯ Naruto had already guessed the result.


    Sakura on the side seemed a little happy. After all, who wouldn''t want to have a strongpanion?


    Aftering to Naruto¡¯s body, Naruto didn''t stick to her, so Sakura didn''t hate Naruto, and the two of them still had a normal ssmate rtionship.


    Even though Naruto was determined to take it easy, his strength was unmatched among his peers. This aroused Sakura''s curiosity, making her feel like Naruto had grown up overnight.


    She is curious, but not to the extent of having a liking for him.


    "Uchiha Sasuke!"


    As soon as the name was called, Sakura stood up instantly, with uncontroble joy on her face.


    "Yay!"


    "Troublesome." Sasuke snorted in displeasure.


    "Next is Team 8." Iruka''s voice rang out again.


    Naruto listened quietly, realizing there was no difference from the original work. Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and turned sharply, looking at the back corner on the right, just in time to lock eyes with Hinata.


    Hinata quickly looked away, her face burning like a clumsy peeper.


    After the team assignment was over, Sasuke did not leave immediately.


    "Let''s go out and have a meal together," Naruto suggested.


    "Sure!" Sakura seemed very happy. She nced at Sasuke beside her and agreed to Naruto¡¯s suggestion without thinking. In her heart, she silently gave Naruto a big thumbs up!


    "I¡¯m not going." Sasuke refused coldly.


    Hearing this, Naruto wasn''t too surprised. He stopped and turned to look at Sasuke, then asked, "Are you unconvinced and want to go home to train?"


    "What does it have to do with you?" Sasuke''s eyes were filled with detachment and indifference.


    If it were anyone else treated like this, they might get angry, but Narutopletely ignored this young avenger¡¯s tsundereness.


    "Let¡¯s get straight to the point, your attitude is just a waste of time." Naruto said, "We are alreadypanions, and that can¡¯t be changed."


    "So what?"


    "What? Don¡¯t you even know what the power of teamwork is?" Naruto looked calmly at Sasuke, "Do you know what the power of cooperation is?"


    "I don''t needpanions." Sasuke coldly nced at Naruto and then tried to leave.


    "Sasuke." Sakura was caught in the middle and reached out to grab Sasuke.


    "Forget him." Naruto said, "He''s just a self-righteous brat. If you don''t want to get stronger and just want to waste time, then go ahead and leave."


    ¡°Forever being a loser.¡±


    "Say that again!" Sasuke suddenly turned around and grabbed Naruto by the cor.


    "I¡¯ll say it a thousand times." Naruto also red at him, "I thought you were smart, but you¡¯re just an idiot."


    "You!" Sasuke''s face was as cold as ice.


    "Naruto, Sasuke, stop it." Sakura stepped forward, grabbing their hands, trying to separate them.


    "Aren''t wepanions?"


    "He doesn''t even consider you apanion at all. He only has himself in his eyes." Naruto said, "How can such a person havepanions?!"


    "I told you, I don''t need anypanions!" Sasuke said, "I¡¯m fine on my own,panions are just a burden."


    "Sasuke." Sakura, who was sandwiched in the middle, forced a smile and gently persuaded, "Naruto just suggested having a meal together. Maybe he has something he wants to share with us."


    "Naruto has gotten much stronger recently. He must have some good training methods. It''s worth listening to."


    After the words fell, a trace of hesitation shed across Sasuke''s face. After a moment of struggle, he finally let go of Naruto.


    Naruto didn''t mind this. His original intention was to provoke Sasuke to join them for a meal and discuss matters.


    Just as Sakura said, he had information he wanted to share with the two.


    For a long time toe, the three of them will be undertaking dangerous missions together, risking their lives.


    Any pitfalls they could avoid beforehand, they should.


    Hardships aren''t treasures, and suffering isn''t a blessing, it''s just something people can''t avoid. All hardships lead to despair.


    The three arrived at a barbecue restaurant, ordering a few tes of meat and some juice.


    It seemed that this was Sakura''s first time grilling meat by herself, and she seemed a little restrained in front of Sasuke. Sasuke sat coldly with his arms crossed, he seemed to be here just to listen to what Naruto wanted to say.


    Relying on his experience of dinner parties before the crossing, Naruto skillfully brushed ayer of oil on the grill, followed by ayer of cheese.


    The cheese-covered barbecue soon emitted a fragrant aroma, whetting their appetites.


    "Naruto, do you eat barbecue often?" Sakura was slightly surprised.


    "Well, I don''t really have the money for it. It''s just that I hunt often, so I have some experience with grilling meat," Naruto said modestly.


    He then distributed the grilled meat to Sakura and Sasuke, and started grilling another batch in the same manner.


    "Thank you." Sakura blushed for a moment.


    "Thanks." Sasuke said somewhat awkwardly.


    After finishing a te of barbecue, the atmosphere among the three eased considerably. Sasuke quietly ate his meat. Although his face still looked like an ice block, his furrowed brows have rxed.


    "Delicious." Sakura took a sip of juice and eximed with satisfaction.


    Seeing that the timing was right, Naruto didn''t beat around the bush. He wiped his mouth and stared at the two for a while before speaking.


    "Do you know the inside story about this team assignments?"


    Sakura shook her head and said, "This is something that Hokage-sama has decided. It¡¯s probably rted to our grades."


    Sasuke asked indifferently, "What does this have to do with us?"


    "Of course, it matters." Naruto said, "Gathering intelligence is one of the most important aspects of Shinobi¡¯s missions. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to winning a hundred battles."


    "In the future, we might cooperate with or confront other teams. After all, there is still the Chunin Exam, right?"


    "That makes some sense." Sakura nodded thoughtfully, "Naruto, do you know the inside story behind the team assignments?"


    "Of course." Naruto nodded and said.


    "Team 8 consists of members from Konoha''s reconnaissance ns. The Hyuga n for visual scouting, the Inuzuka n for scent tracking, and the Aburame n for insect tracking.¡±


    ¡°This team assignment should be the result of a discussion among Konoha''s higher-ups, who considered everyone''s traits and personalities for the team assignments."

 Chapter 12 The Harsh Truth

    Chapter 12 The Harsh Truth


    "What¡¯s the point of knowing all this?" Sasuke asked, but his current tone was less confrontational and more inquisitive.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s meaningful. From what I know, there is a female Shinobi who is good at Genjutsu among the Jonin." Naruto said, "There¡¯s a high chance she will lead Team Team 8 this time.¡±


    "Genjutsu?" Sasuke frowned, "Based on what you said before, the higher-ups seem to want to nurture Team 8 as a reconnaissance team. Why did they assign a Jonin who is good at Genjutsu to lead the team?"


    "That¡¯s true. It seems like Genjutsu wouldn¡¯t be useful for reconnaissance, right?" Sakura asked, also a little confused.


    "Hehe, Iruka-sensei will introduce our Jonin Instructors in the ssroom this afternoon. But I sneaked into the office and stole the team assignment list!!"


    As he spoke, Naruto pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.


    The paper clearly showed the team assignment details for four Genin Teams, with the name ¡®Hatake Kakashi¡¯ written at the top of Team 7¡¯s list.


    "Is he our Jonin Instructor?" Sakura stared at the name curiously, "I''m really looking forward to meeting him. I wonder what kind of person he is."


    Sasuke nced briefly at Team 7¡¯s section before his eyes settled on Team 8¡¯s Jonin Instructor¡¯s name: Yuhi Kurenai.


    It was apletely unfamiliar name for him.


    There are many big and small ns in Konoha, some of which are powerful ns such as Hyuga and the Ino-Shika-Cho, and some small ns that you have never heard of, such as Yamakura, Aoyama, and Nohaka ns.


    Naruto didn¡¯t respond to Sakura¡¯sment, and thought to himself, ¡®Our future teacher will be the disciple of my cheap father, the most reliable future Hokage, and the Rokudaime Hokage, thezy Hatake Kakashi.


    "Who is Yuhi Kurenai?" Sasuke asked.


    "The girlfriend of Asuma, the Jonin Instructor of Team 10." Naruto replied, wondering if Sandaime was using his crystal ball to spy on him while eating.


    But thinking that Sandaime wouldn''t be so perverted, and not sensing any watchful eyes, he didn¡¯t worry too much about it.


    "Asuma?" Sakura was confused, but quickly found the name on the team list, "Sarutobi Asuma¡­ He has the same n name as Hokage-sama?"


    "Yes." Naruto said, looking at the two of them, "The Team 10 led by Asuma is the younger generation of the three major ns in the vige, the Ino-Shika-Cho, that is, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino."


    "So, the younger generation of the six ns, Hyuga, Inuzuka, Aburame, Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi are all disciples of the Hokage-sama''s family."


    "And these six ns are staunch supporters of Hokage-sama, so it¡¯s not surprising they were grouped this way."


    "Naruto, how do you know so much?" Sakura looked at Naruto and asked nervously. It was her first time encountering such adult matters, and she felt a little overwhelmed.


    Sasuke, however, remained calm. He still hadn¡¯t forgotten his original goal and stared at the list thoughtfully. Then, he looked up at Naruto and asked, "So, you think there is a hidden purpose for assigning us to the same team?"


    "Congrattions, Sasuke-kun, you got it right." Naruto snapped his fingers, "Nobles are in the same team as nobles, and civilians are naturally in the same team as civilians."


    Hearing this, Sasuke¡¯s eyes darkened as he red at Naruto, "That''s it?"


    "Of course, there''s more than that." Naruto suddenly smiled as he looked at Sasuke.


    Sasuke felt a chill run down his spine from being stared at by Naruto, and asked unhappily, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto said with a smile, "The Uchiha n is known for its powerfulbat capabilities, and it so happens that I¡¯m from the Uzumaki n."


    "You might not have heard of it, but that doesn¡¯t matter. You just need to know that the Uzumaki n is also very strong."


    "And¡­"


    Having said that, Naruto nced at Sakura, who had a dazed look on her face, and Sasuke, whose pupils were shaking. After a few seconds of silence, he lowered his voice and spoke, "Unfortunately, my n was wiped out."


    "Our team isn''t just amoner team or a fallen noble team, but the team of rare bloodlines." Naruto said, "Except Sakura, of course."


    He didn¡¯t reveal the truth about the Kyubi just yet, after all, it was not appropriate to say it now.


    Sakura sat there in a daze, her hands on herp trembling slightly. She was at a loss now. She originally thought that this team division was just her pure luck.


    At the same time, she also has her own little pride. Although her Ninjutsu and practical results are not as good as Naruto and Sasuke, her theoretical results are the first in ss and her overall rank was third.


    Although there is a certain gap between her and her two teammates, she believed that as long as she works harder, she could catch up to Naruto and Sasuke.


    However, when faced with the stark reality, her pride and self-esteem silently dissolved.


    It turned out that she was just a backdrop, an ordinary person. In Team 7, she was the one without any special traits. Both Sasuke and Naruto had unique backgrounds and talents, while she...


    The realization made her lose her appetite. She felt like she had fallen into an icy pit. Her stomach churned uncontrobly and she wanted to vomit.


    "Sakura."


    Suddenly, a hand was ced on Sakura''s shoulder, pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts.


    She looked up to see both Sasuke and Naruto staring at her. For some reason, their figures became increasingly blurred.


    "I''m fine," Sakura said, but the tremble in her voice betrayed her.


    Forcing a smile to cover her embarrassment, just as she wanted to say something else, she was startled by her own tears falling onto the table.


    The unexpected turn of events interrupted their meal and halted the information sharing.


    After leaving the BBQ restaurant, Sakura had calmed down. She apologized to the two for her earlier outburst, and both Naruto and Sasuke reassured her it was fine, bringing the trio closer.


    "Let''s make these information-sharing sessions a regr activity in the future. It¡¯ll benefit all of us." Naruto suggested, "But the contents must remain absolutely confidential."


    "I agree." Sakura raised her hand in agreement, smiling brightly.


    "Yeah." Sasuke nodded, which was considered as indicating his consent.


    Such sessions were indeed beneficial to them. Not only did they gain deeper insights about the vige, it also increased the three people''s sense of camaraderie within their small group.


    Naruto thought that with more trust and fewer unnecessary worries among them, their future days together would be much smoother.


    Just as Sakura was about to turn around and head back to the ssroom, Naruto called out to her after a few steps.


    "Sakura."


    "Hmm?" Sakura turned to look at Naruto in confusion, "What''s wrong?"


    Naruto didn''t say anything, but just pursed his lips at Sasuke, who still wore his usual stoic expression, beside him.


    "Young Master Sasuke has something to say to you."


    When Sasuke heard Naruto calling him ¡®Young Master¡¯, Sasuke shot him a cold re.


    "Sasuke?" Sakura suddenly tensed up.


    Sasuke turned his face away proudly, and spoke after a long time, "We arepanions."


    Sakura stood there in a daze. It took her a while to react and her eyes turned red again.


    "Don''t cry, Sakura." Narutoforted her with a smile, "Young Master Sasuke is right, you are not ordinary, you are ourpanion."


    "Actually, there''s nothing wrong with being an ordinary person. If we had the choice, he and I would prefer an ordinary life, but..."


    As he said so, Naruto spread his hands helplessly, ¡°You know, things don''t always go as we wish.¡±

 Chapter 13 Choosing Between Lava Release And Wood Release

    Chapter 13 Choosing Between Lava Release And Wood Release


    Afternoon, in the ssroom.


    Team 7¡¯s members sat idly in the ssroom, waiting for their Jonin Instructor. Naruto, well aware of Kakashi''s habit of beingte, was already dozing off on his desk.


    Sasuke sat by the window, his fingers inteced on the desk, his gaze wandering among the lush treetops outside.


    Sakura lowered her head and stared down at the desk, feeling somewhat despondent.


    Although she had just beenforted by herpanions, once the surroundings became quiet, she couldn¡¯t help but feel lost again.


    After what felt like an eternity, the ssroom¡¯s door finally opened.


    The Jonin Instructor of Team 7 arrived fashionablyte, and the moment he stepped into the ssroom, azy voice was heard first.


    "Yo, sorry, sorry. I was identallyte."


    "I am your Jonin Instructor, Hatake Kakashi."


    The Jonin, who called himself Kakashi, probably in his early twenties. His silver hair stood up like a scarecrow¡¯s, he wore a ck mask covering his face, and a forehead protector tilted to cover one of his eyes. He was dressed in a ckbat outfit with a green Jonin vest, and his eye curved into a crescent as he spoke.


    Naruto was already awake when he heard the voice. The three of them then looked at Kakashi with a mix of expressions.


    "Sensei, you''re way toote." Naruto took the lead inining.


    "Well, it''s because I was helping an olddy cross the street, so¡­" Kakashi scratched his head, giving a ridiculously far-fetched excuse.


    "Liar!" Sakura retorted.


    Kakashi, a bit embarrassed,ughed it off and quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, follow me. We¡¯ll talk somewhere else."


    After the words fell, the three of them stood up and followed Kakashi out of the ssroom. During this time, the three of them maintained a tacit silence.


    Kakashi had already gathered some information about the three from Sandaime, one of whom was a survivor of the Uchiha n¡¯s massacre, and the other was the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    ¡®Uzumaki Naruto, huh?¡¯


    ¡®The days ahead will not be easy.¡¯


    Walking ahead, Kakashi felt a slight headache.


    ¡®It''s really hard to understand the decisions made by the vige''s higher-ups are doing. After making such decisions, they now wanted to train these two kids into Shinobi.¡¯


    After sighing in his heart, Kakashi took a deep breath and geared up for the day.


    Early the Next Morning.


    Sakura was wearing casual clothes. After walking out of the alley, she paused for a moment in a brightly lit area, as if she was trying to determine the direction.


    "Here!" Naruto waved at Sakura.


    Thetter also waved with a smile on her face.


    As she got closer, Sakura realized that Naruto was standing at the entrance of a small restaurant. Thest time they shared information was at a barbecue restaurant, and this time, it was at a small food restaurant again.


    "Didn''t Kakashi-sensei say not to eat breakfast?"


    "He said it¡¯s best not to, since it might make you throw up." Naruto said nonchntly, "But it''s better to throw up than to fight on an empty stomach."


    Sakura hesitated, intending to refuse, but seeing Naruto and Sasuke both nodded at her, she nodded as well and sat down.


    After breakfast, the three of them rushed to the agreed location and waited.


    They waited for several hours, until the sun was high in the sky at noon, when Kakashi finally arrived.


    "Well, there''s a little girl who got lost on the road." Kakashi smiled shamelessly, without any sense of guilt for beingte.


    "Really? Kakashi-sensei is too much!"


    "That''s right! What ame excuse."


    "Tch."


    Having had breakfast, the trio¡¯sints were more routine than genuine. This surprised Kakashi, who noted that they didn¡¯t seem to be hungry.


    Kakashi didn''t care that his goal was not achieved. He pulled out two bells from his pocket and dangled them in front of the three.


    " Alright, here are the rules for the test.¡±


    ¡°I only have two bells. Only those who manage to get a bell before noon will qualify to be Shinobi. In other words, one of you will be eliminated."


    "Eliminated?" Sakura suddenly became nervous, "Kakashi-sensei, what happens to the person who gets eliminated?"


    "Hehe!" Kakashi''s eye curved into a crescent moon shape as he smiled, "Unfortunately, the person who gets eliminated will not qualify to be Shinobi. They will also be tied to a log until sunset."


    "If none of you manage to get a bell, you''ll all go back to the Academy for retraining."


    "During this test, you can use any means necessary. Don''t worry about hurting me; with your current abilities, it''s nothing but a dream."


    With that, Kakashi paused and then tied the bells to his waist, "Now, have I made myself clear?"


    The three of them didn''t answer, and Sakura''s face turned pale.


    She didn¡¯t expect it would actually be a real battle. Her strengthsy in theoretical analysis and intelligence gathering, andbat was her weak point. Let alone taking the bell from Kakashi, it would be difficult for her just to get close to a Jonin.


    If one person had to be eliminated, it was undoubtedly going to be her.


    Naruto stood silently beside her. After the conversation at the BBQ restaurant yesterday, he hadn¡¯t shared any more information. Some things were better left unsaid, and there was no need to spoil everything.


    The true purpose of this bell test was to assess their ability to work together, but after yesterday''s talk, their rtionship had already tightened significantly.


    However, when faced with the dilemma of who to sacrifice, Naruto was unsure what the others will do.


    That¡¯s why he chose to remain silent. He wanted to help them avoid unnecessary detours, but he didn¡¯t n to carry them through the journey. Additionally, he wanted to see how they would handle this choice.


    Suddenly, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.


    [Option 1: Use all your strength to snatch the bells, and then give them to Sakura and Sasuke. Reward: Lava Release]


    [Option 2: Do nothing, lie down in front of Kakashi, and ept being tied to the log. Reward: Wood Release]


    Looking at the panel that popped up, Naruto nearly choked.


    ¡®Wood Release and Lava Release? Holy crap!¡¯


    ¡®I got them at the same time?¡¯


    ¡®What to choose?¡¯


    ¡®Yonbi¡¯s Lava Release is so powerful. If I really get Lava Release, would I still be afraid of Water Release?¡¯


    ¡®But even if I choose Wood Release, although it is rare, it is not likely I would be able to use Wood Release as the same level as Hashirama.¡¯


    ¡®This time, the system did not indicate the level of mastery of Wood Release, so it¡¯s probably just an entry-level Wood Release Chakra Attribute.¡¯


    ¡®Choosing Lava Release can also allow me to disy my strength in front of Sakura and Sasuke. However, snatching the bell is not an easy task and I might fail.¡¯


    ¡®But if I chose to lie down, Sasuke would be left alone to face Kakashi, and the possibility of those two getting the bells would be slim.¡¯


    While Naruto was caught in his dilemma, Kakashi had already announced the start of the test.


    Almost as soon as the words fell, Sasuke and Sakura disappeared from their spots, leaving Naruto standing there, lost in thought.

 Chapter 14 Two Bells

    Chapter 14 Two Bells


    ¡®What''s Naruto doing spacing out at a time like this?¡¯ Sakuray in the grass, her face full of anxiety.


    ¡®The test has already started, so why was he just standing there?¡¯


    Sasuke stood on a densely leafed tree, frowning as he watched Naruto, unsure of what he intended to do.


    Kakashi squinted and smiled at Naruto, then asked, "Are you nningto take the bell by force?"


    Naruto didn''t say anything. No matter which of the two options the panel gave him, both are problematic.


    If he wanted to forcibly take the bell from Kakashi, he would have to reach the strength of at least Elite Chunin, which meant that he would inevitably have to use Kyubi¡¯s power.


    If the condition for passing the test is that the whole team will pass as long as one person gets the bell, then he can give it a try.


    However, Naruto already knew that Kakashi''s intention was not this, and they needed to see him show a spirit of cherishing theirpanions and working together before he would let them pass.


    Taking a step back, even if they got the bells from Kakashi, how would they divide them? There were only two bells.


    Moreover, with Kakashi''s personality, lying down and doing nothing might indeed lead to being judged as having a negative attitude and thus failing.


    Mastering the rare Wood Release Kekkei Genkai could also bring a series of troubles. Danzo wouldn''t leave him alone, and Sandaime wouldn''t let him go either.


    In that case, he¡¯ll just use all my abilities! Sooner orter, he will still have to use Kyubi¡¯s power.


    Anyway, the higher-ups, including Sandaime, valued Naruto¡¯s Uzumaki n''s physique and his status as Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, and wanted to brainwash him into a staunch supporter of the vige.¡¯


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have deliberately set up a trap to get Naruto to steal the Scroll of Seals, and even prepared the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique for him.


    This thing is of little use to others. After all, if the Chakra is not enough, it is no different from an ordinary shadow clone.


    [Kyubi''s approval 2.2%]


    This was the power he could use now.


    "Get the bells!" Naruto bent his legs slightly and made a gesture of exerting force, "All I have to do is get the bells, right?"


    "Of course." Kakashi flicked the bell on his waist and said with a smile, "Get one, and you pass the test."


    "Then I''ll take both!"


    Kakashi felt that Naruto had suddenly be a different person when he spoke, and an extremely familiar feeling surged throughout his body.


    The orange Chakra enveloped Naruto, making his face fade from view.


    In an instant, Naruto''s small body shot forward like an arrow, causing Kakashi''s pupil to dte. The grass at Naruto''s feet was uprooted, and fresh earth flew up.


    Naruto''s speed was too fast. Under the influence of the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra, his movements were astonishingly agile.


    Almost in the blink of an eye, Naruto threw a punch, which Kakashi dodged by tilting his head. After the attack missed, Naruto swung his elbow horizontally, his body twisting violently in midair.


    As the elbow missed, his left leg had already chopped down heavily.


    "Naruto! He¡­!" Sakura, hiding in the grass, was stunned, her mouth agape.


    A thought shed through her mind, making her suddenly realize something, ¡®If we wanted to take the bells from a Jonin, it would be impossible without Naruto.¡¯


    ¡®Now that Kakashi-sensei¡¯s attention has been attracted by Naruto, I had to do something!¡¯


    This thought drove Sakura¡¯s body into action. While circling around Kakashi, she reached for her ninja pouch.


    Meanwhile, Sasuke, perched in the tree, had already thrown six shuriken at this time. The six shuriken sliced through the air, forming arcs that blocked Kakashi''s escape routes.


    Kakashi, still looking rxed, suddenly increased his speed, deftly dodging the six shuriken Sasuke had thrown.


    With a sharp sound, three kunai came flying. Sakura had synchronized her attack with Sasuke''s rhythm, even though her position was less than ideal and she was too close to Kakashi.


    Thud, thud, thud.


    The three kunai embedded themselves in a tree trunk, missing their target.


    "Genjutsu!" Sakura looked at the approaching Kakashi and hurriedly formed hand seals.


    "Genjutsu!" Kakashi countered with hand seals of his own, using the same method against her. Of course, it was not a particrly advanced Genjutsu, but it was enough to overpower Sakura''s level of skill. Trapped in the Genjutsu, Sakura froze and fell straight onto the grass.


    "Too slow." Kakashi remarked as he effortlessly dodged Naruto''s spinning kick, tilting his head to the side without even looking.


    And at that moment, he reached out and grabbed Naruto''s leg, then flung him forcefully.


    However, instead of the expected scream, there was a puff of white smoke as Naruto transformed into a log upon hitting the ground.


    ¡®Body Recement Technique?¡¯


    Kakashi didn''t even realize it was a Body Recement Technique. Although he hadn''t been entirely serious just now, he did grab Naruto''s legs, and the texture actually fooled him!


    He didn¡¯t expect that the perfection of the Body Recement Technique used by a kid, who wasn''t even a Genin, wasparable to that of a battle-hardened Jonin.


    ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Kakashi thought, feeling somewhat proud.


    But he soon realized something. He nced down to see Sakura, who was under a Genjutsu not far away, being carried away by Sasuke.


    "Caw!~" A crow flew overhead, its blood-red eyes looking down at the grass below, taking in the scene below.


    Kakashi stood alone in the grass, the surroundings silent. At this time, Naruto and the others were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡®So it was a diversion? The goal was to allow Sasuke to rescue Sakura.¡¯ Kakashi cracked his neck, making a series of crisp sounds, and leisurely pulled out a copy of Icha Icha Paradise from his ninja pouch.


    After taking a quick nce, Kakashizily called out, "Well, looks like you''re getting the hang of it."


    After saying that, he walked towards the river while shouting, "If you want the bells, you''ll have to show some real skills."


    In the bushes, Naruto looked at Sasuke and said unhappily, "What are you staring at me for? I can''t break Genjutsu."


    Before Naruto could finish his words, Sakura opened her eyes. Her pupils suddenly dted, then contracted again. Upon seeing Naruto and Sasuke in front of her, she rxed.


    "Kakashi-sensei''s hand seals were too fast." Sakura said with lingering fear.


    Seeing Naruto and Sasuke staring at her, Sakura blinked and looked back. Seeing that no one was behind her, she asked in confusion, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "How did you wake up by yourself?" Naruto asked.


    "Genjutsu can be broken," Sakura exined, "I''m quite good at it, so I managed to dispel the Genjutsu myself."


    "It was mainly because Kakashi-sensei was holding back and didn''t use his full strength."


    Naruto was silent, ¡®Sakura had indeed reached the limit for an ordinary person. She could reach this point without any special bloodline, all thanks to her good brain.¡¯


    Perhaps because of the blow she received yesterday, Sakura seemed much calmer currently. There was a hint of reluctance in her smile, and her face was full of fatigue.

 Chapter 15 Answers

    Chapter 15 Answers


    "I haven''t got the bell yet." Naruto muttered.


    The three of them hid in a forest, using tall bushes as cover. The surroundings were silent, and Kakashi seemed to be waiting on that patch of grass for them.


    "Kakashi-sensei is too strong. We are no match for him." Sakura sighed. The scene of Kakashi performing hand seals was still vivid in her mind.


    ¡®The speed at which he formed hand seals, almost leaving afterimages, was probably two hand seals per second, no, it should be three or four hand seals, right?¡¯


    "The speed at which he formed hand seals was so terrifying. It was simply not something a human could do."


    Hearing this, Sasuke''s face was full of solemnity, but Naruto remained calm. Kakashi''s hand seal speed was of course fast, after all, the title of the Shinobi World¡¯s foremost master of Ninjutsu was not given without reason.


    He was the first in Konoha, after Sandaime Hokage, to master all Chakra Nature Transformations and know thousands of Ninjutsu.


    Although Kakashi is not as powerful as Sandaime, his genius was undeniably deserved.


    "We have to cooperate, otherwise, we have no chance of winning." Sasuke said expressionlessly, "I¡¯ll handle the direct attacks, Sakura will create distractions, and Naruto will grab the bells."


    "Wait, I..." Sakura was a little panicked, "I can''t do it. My Genjutsu is not effective against Kakashi-sensei"


    "This is our only chance." Sasuke said firmly.


    "I¡­" Sakura lowered her head.


    At this moment, Naruto patted Sakura on the shoulder and saidfortingly, "Sakura, we will buy you some time. You can use the opportunity to use Genjutsu on Kakashi-sensei. We¡¯ll leave our backs to you, so you have to believe in yourself."


    After a moment''s hesitation, Sakura gritted her teeth and nodded.


    The World of Shinobi is cruel. If you could do it, you could, and if you couldn¡¯t, you couldn¡¯t. Naruto found that neither Sasuke nor Sakura had the same exaggerated personality as portrayed in the manga.


    They are just normal people. Sakura wasn¡¯t that obsessed, and Sasuke wasn¡¯t that aloof. They are top talents of their generation, and overall, their character was decent.


    Perhaps it is also rted to the powerful strength disyed by Naruto. In short, for the time being, the three had formed a positive pressure between them.


    Coupled with Naruto''s previous information sharing and the tacit cooperation just now, even though Team 7 hadn¡¯t officially formed yet, they already had a good rapport.


    No grudges, no arrogance, only the belief in mutual cooperation.


    Under the scorching sun, on the grassy field.


    Kakashi leaned leisurely against a wooden post, his eyes scanning Icha-Icha Paradise. It seemed he waspletely unguarded against everything around him.


    A wind rustled through the forest, and Kakashi stopped flipping through the book. Two sharp sounds of wind from the jungle broke the silence of the grasnd.


    Shuriken flew at Kakashi from the sun¡¯s reflection, shing rapidly twice, aimed directly at Kakashi, who is next to the wooden post.


    Thud, thud.


    The shuriken missed, embedding themselves deeply into the wooden post. Kakashi had already jumped away, and before his feet touched the ground, Sasuke suddenly charged out from his nk.


    ¡®Wasn''t the one who threw the shuriken Sasuke?¡¯ Kakashi wondered silently in his heart.


    It can¡¯t be helped that Kakashi thought so. After all, in the information given by Sandaime, Sasuke''s shurikenjutsu was the best among these three, which made Kakashi subconsciously think that those shurikens just now were thrown by Sasuke.


    ¡®The throwing force is immense, so it can''t be Sakura, which means, it must be Naruto.¡¯ Kakashi muttered, "He¡¯s unexpectedly good."


    While Kakashi was still in the air, Sasuke quickly formed hand seals the moment he rushed out. Kakashi also noticed Sasuke''s surprise attack and stared at Sasuke''s hands.


    "Snake seal? Fire Release?"


    Snake - Ram - Monkey - Boar - Horse - Tiger, six hand seals formed rapidly, and the Great Fireball Technique was activated. The raging mes immediately spread toward Kakashi, forcing him to dodge again.


    But as he moved, Kakashi suddenly realized something was off. Though he had evaded, his movements seemed much slower.


    ¡®Genjutsu?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t dispel it right away, but looked in one direction and saw Sakura struggling to maintain the Genjutsu hand seal.


    Suddenly, Kakashi seemed to understand something. But before he could lower his head, two bell chimes rang in his ear.


    There was a bang and white smoke filled the air. A gust of wind blew past as his vision blurred. And the next moment, Kakashi felt a sense of emptiness around his waist. When the smoke cleared, the bells were already in Naruto¡¯s hand.


    The other two members of the team breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Naruto seeded and slowly approached.


    Seeing this, Kakashi also stopped.


    Even though he had held back a lot during this test, the fact remained that the bells were in their hands.


    "Congrattions, you have sessfully snatched the bells." Kakashi said with a narrow-eyed smile, "By the way, you are the best coordinated team of graduating Genin I have ever seen."


    Hearing this, all three of them smiled. Sakura was even more relieved, and her worried expression looked somewhat better.


    But at the next second, Kakashi''s tone changed sharply, bing instantly serious.


    "You only have two bells, so only two of you can pass, or maybe just one."


    As soon as the words fell, Sasuke and Sakura''s gazes instantly focused on Naruto, who was holding two bells.


    "You can give one of the bells to someone else, or you can choose not to. Hmm, if you''re trained alone, you''ll probably learn more from me."


    "I am a Jonin after all. And apart from the time I am on missions, I don''t have much time left to teach my students."


    "Teaching two is not as effective as teaching one, and it would also be much easier for me."


    Kakashi''s words immediately made Sakura and Sasuke, who had no bells in their hands, nervous. They anxiously looked at Naruto.


    Kakashi''s words were too tempting. Both Sasuke and Sakura knew that Naruto was the strongest among them.


    If Naruto chose to keep both bells for himself, they couldn''t really argue.


    Even though they would haveints, Sakura felt utterly hopeless. Her heart seemed to plunge into an icy abyss.


    ¡®There were only two bells, and even if Naruto was willing to give up one, he probably wouldn''t give it to me. Who would need apanion who couldn''t help at all?¡¯


    "How is it?" Kakashi asked Naruto with a smile in his eye, arms crossed as he looked at Naruto, "Have you decided?"


    "There''s no need to think about this." Naruto raised the bell in his hand.


    Hearing this, Sasuke and Sakura''s expressions froze. They wondered if it is going to be like this. After all, receiving one-on-one training from a Jonin would indeed allow for faster improvement.


    The smile in Kakashi''s eye grew even brighter, and he uncrossed his arms. Just as he was about to speak, Naruto spoke again, "I''m so strong now, so I don''t need guidance at all!"


    "What?" Sasuke was slightly stunned.


    Sakura held her breath and looked at Naruto with disbelief.


    As he spoke, Naruto tossed the two bells backward. The bells seemed to have eyes, as they fluttered like leaves andnding gently in Sasuke''s and Sakura''s hands.


    "Jonin¡¯s guidance or something¡­" Naruto dug his ears and shed a brilliant smile in the sunlight, "I don''t need it at all!"

 Chapter 16 Leo Sasuke

    Chapter 16 Leo Sasuke


    "You little brat." Kakashi didn¡¯t get angry at Naruto¡¯s words. Instead, he smiled, "Then, you have to go back to the Academy."


    "Going back is fine, I''m so strong anyway. I¡¯ll still be number one in my grade when I go back." Naruto said nonchntly, resting his head on his arms.


    "No way! He can''t go back!" Sasuke gritted his teeth, walked up to Kakashi, and took out his bell, "I¡¯ll give him mine!"


    "No way, Sasuke. Neither you nor Naruto can go back!" Sakura handed over the bell she had just received, "Kakashi-sensei, I¡¯ll give mine to Naruto."


    "I can''t help much anyway. It''s always been Naruto and Sasuke who do everything."


    "Everyone passed." Kakashi suddenly said.


    "Eh?" Sakura was stunned and the bell in her hand fell to the ground.


    Ding ling!


    "Pass?" Sasuke was dumbfounded.


    "Yes, everyone passes!" Kakashi reiterated.


    Hokage Tower.


    "That¡¯s the situation, Hokage-sama." Kakashi ced three files on Sandaime''s desk.


    Hiruzen didn''t say anything. His eyes were fixed on Naruto''s file which was ced at the top, puffing on his pipe with each drag.


    After a long while, Hiruzen put down his pipe and spoke, "Kakashi, what do you think?"


    "Hokage-sama, the performance of these three today wasmendable, but among the Genin Teams I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re the best."


    Kakashi said emotionlessly while standing in front of the Sandaime''s desk with his hands behind his back.


    "Naruto seems to be able to use a small amount of Kyubi¡¯s Chakra. Uchiha Sasuke has mastered the Fire Release Ninjutsu and has a strong Chakra Control. Sakura has a talent for Genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu."


    "So I¡¯m requesting additional personnel for Team 7 to speed up their training, so they can be independent sooner."


    "Kakashi, you are too impatient." Sandaime gently declined Kakashi¡¯s request, "One is an Uchiha child, and the other is the vige''s Jinchuriki."


    "Sasuke and Naruto are both importantpanions of the vige. Rather than letting them be independent sooner, it¡¯s more important to cultivate their bond with the vige."


    When Sandaime said this, Kakashi understood Sandaime¡¯s meaning and said no more.


    "Yes, Hokage-sama."


    Sandaime watched Kakashi slowly leave the office, only sighing deeply once the door was closed. He then picked up the three files again, and examined them closely.


    On the other side, Naruto was lying on his bed, shaking a bell in his hand. This was a bell Kakashi gave to Narutoter, just as a memento.


    The breeze rustled outside the window, the bell in Naruto¡¯s hand tinkling in response.


    In life, one tree alone can¡¯t support a forest.


    In the future, Naruto would have to carry out missions with Sasuke and Sakura, and bonds would inevitably form. He also hoped that Sasuke and Sakura would be stronger, making missions easier.


    But regarding this vige¡­ Naruto didn¡¯t have much feeling for it. Being a Shinobi was just a job, and working hard was just for food.


    With a click, Naruto gripped the bell and casually ced it on the headboard of his bed.


    ¡®But there is no point in thinking so much, I¡¯ll just take it one step at a time. At least I should earn money for food first, and deal with other things as they came.¡¯


    With that thought, Naruto closed his eyes.


    Time passed quickly, and the three continued their daily training of tree climbing and water walking. Since Naruto''s Chakra disorder problem had been solved, everything proceeded smoothly.


    The three of them trained tirelessly from dawn till dusk, long past the point of considering the time. asionally, they would do some D-Rank missions, which was also a mandatory requirement in Konoha.


    Before Genin Team can ept C-Rank missions or higher, they mustplete a certain number of D-Rank missions, which is somewhat like gaining experience.


    D-Rank missions are simple, but the rewards are meager, and the money they can actually get is not much. And the days of relentless training have caused Naruto''s appetite to increase significantly.


    Naruto had never thought of relying on the system for mastering the climbing trees and treading water. After all, it was still necessary to work hard on some basic things.


    With the help of the system, he has obtained some of the Kyubi¡¯s power, Lava Release, and the Full level Fishing Mastery. Although he gave up the Multiple Shadow Clones Technique, he was not in a hurry.


    He can just ask the vige for that Ninjutsu when he bes stronger. At worst, he felt that learning a shadow clone will be enough.


    Hinata seemed to be training as well, as he hadn''t seen her for a long time. Even if he wanted to make some progress on the mission, he had no way to do so.


    July.


    Naruto, who was sleeping soundly, vaguely heard a knocking sound. He groggily opened his eyes, and the knocking sound became clearer.


    ¡®Someone was really knocking on the door. Who woulde at this time?¡¯


    Knock, knock, knock!


    The urgent knocking was apanied by a female voice.


    "Hey! Naruto, open the door!"


    "I knew you would forget! We agreed on this! You promised!"


    Naruto, who was still half asleep, went to open the door. When he saw the person in front of the door, he couldn''t help but feel a little confused.


    "Sakura? What are you doing here?"


    "Ah!" Sakura was about to explode, " You promised me a few days ago. I already reminded you yesterday, and you forgot again!"


    "Yesterday?" Naruto really couldn''t remember anything. After thinking carefully, he finally recalled it and asked tentatively, "Sasuke''s birthday?"


    "Yeah." Sakura turned her head away, looking a bit embarrassed.


    "Good thing you remembered Young Master Sasuke¡¯s birthday." Naruto yawned.


    "It''s all in the file!" Sakura said as she stood at the door to the corridor, "Sasuke-kun¡¯s birthday is July 23rd, Leo. You¡¯re October 10th, Libra."


    "Uh." Naruto was a little surprised that Sakura actually remembered his birthday, and he didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    "See, it''s easy to remember, right?" Sakura asked.


    "So, Sakura, when''s your birthday?" Naruto asked.


    "March 28th, Aries, it''s already passed." Sakura replied, "But boys probably don¡¯t care about these things."


    "Well, if I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to you." Naruto said casually, "The training is so hard, and today is a rare day off."


    "Alright, let¡¯s go. Come with me to pick a gift for Sasuke-kun. I don¡¯t know what to choose on my own." Sakura urged, "As a reward, I''ll treat you to barbecue."


    "Okay." When Naruto heard that there was food, he mustered his energy and went back to his room to change clothes.


    The training for Team 7 hade to a temporary end, and their performance was still quite good. Kakashi had submitted a request to the vige higher-ups for C-Rank missions, but the review would take two days.


    For this reason, Team 7, for the first time in a month and a half, got a two-day break. Unless something unexpected happened, after the break, they would have to take on missions again.


    At this time, the drunken Tazuna, the bridge-building expert from the Land of Waves, has arrived at Konoha Vige.

 Chapter 17 In the Rain

    Chapter 17 In the Rain


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">The clouds hung low and dark, and after Naruto finished his morning routine and stepped out the door, the sky instantly darkened.


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">It was as if someone had turned off a light above the clouds, plunging everything into darkness. Then, with a thunderous roar, the rain started pouring down without warning.


    Naruto and Sakura stood in the corridor at the entrance, looking at the heavy curtain of rain with speechless expression.


    "Did the weather forecast in Konoha say it would rain today?" Sakura stood by the wall, frowning at the almost instant blur of the white mist.


    "Today¡¯s weather was gloomy in the morning, wasn¡¯t it?" Naruto muttered, "The good news is, I have an umbre."


    About an hourter, the rain had lightened up a bit.


    "Let''s go." Sakura said, getting up.


    "Okay." Naruto responded and locked the door before going out.


    With a snap, a ck umbre was opened. The two of them huddled under the ck umbre. Fortunately, the umbre wasrge enough, so they didn''t have to worry about getting wet.


    "Naruto." Sakura broke the silence, seeming to be in a low mood.


    "Hmm?"


    "Why did those people look at us like that just now?" Sakura asked with concern, "Aren¡¯t they also residents of the apartment?"


    When they walked out of the apartment, Sakura saw for the first time the vigers, standing under the eaves, had dark and full of disdain expressions, as if they were looking at something extremely repulsive.


    "Because you are walking beside me, they hate you too." Naruto said.


    "Is that really okay?" Sakura couldn''t help but shudder. "Naruto, you¡¯ve always been looked at that way."


    She did not continue the conversation and stopped talking.


    "Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter." Naruto seemed not to care. He held the umbre in his hand and looked steadily ahead.


    The street under their feet was flowing with rainwater. Summer always brought abundant rain, and the ck umbre stood out starkly against the cold street.


    His voice was firm and cool, as in as freshly cooled boiled water.


    "I¡¯ve long since stopped caring about them. Though saying that might be a bit harsh. But they are just brainless pests following the crowd."


    "Or maybe, their hatred of me helps them unite. No one wants to be left out, right?"


    The rain hit the ck umbre, making a rustling sound.


    "Forgive me for saying this, but they are just existing, aren¡¯t they? Covered in human skin, the only meaningful thing they can do is to work and reproduce."


    Listening to Naruto''s words, Sakura didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After passing through the old streets, the two stopped in front of a gift shop. Then, Naruto motioned Sakura to go in first. Sakura was a little confused and looked at Naruto in confusion.


    "If youe in with me, the shop owner might not sell to you."


    Sakura was stunned for a moment after hearing this. She looked up at Naruto, then at the rain outside, and after hesitating for a moment, she turned around and went in first.


    After a while, Naruto estimated that Sakura probably had made her choice, so he walked into the store.


    The shop owner recognized Naruto, frowned as he gave him a nce, but said nothing.


    At that moment, Sakura was walking out, holding a gift, which is a cute blue plush doll. Naruto nodded, turned around and walked out the door.


    "You''re leaving without buying anything?" The shop owner suddenly mocked from the doorway, "Next time, don¡¯te to my shop if you have no money."


    Naruto ignored it and continued walking forward.


    Instead, Sakura felt as if her palm was pricked by a needle. Her brow furrowed deeply, and her fingers clenched tightly around the plush toy.


    Shinobi was forbidden from harming the civilians in their vige, this is clearly stated in the Shinobi Code. The shop owner obviously knew this too, this is why he showed no restraint as he watched Naruto leave the store.


    Although she had mentally prepared herself, witnessing such tant bullying right before her eyes, with the victim being her ownrade, was still hard to bear.


    Filled with resentment, Sakura threw the plush toy heavily into the shop owner¡¯s arms, startling him.


    "What are you doing?!"


    "I''m not buying anything from this crappy store!" Sakura red at the shop owner before storming out.


    "Are you sick? Really!"


    Sakura exited the gift shop and saw Naruto waiting for her under the eaves, shielding himself from the rain.


    She pursed her lips and said, "The stuff in there was no good, so I didn''t buy anything."


    "Alright." Naruto didn¡¯t say much, opened the big ck umbre and stepped out into the rain.


    "I n to go to the Ninja Tools shop and buy a wrist guard for Sasuke. What do you think?" Sakura forced a smile and said, "I don¡¯t really know what boys like, so I wanted you to give me some advice."


    "I didn¡¯t expect what happened back there, and I didn¡¯t think it through¡­ I¡¯m sorry."


    By the end of her sentence, Sakura''s voice grew softer and softer.


    "There¡¯s no need to apologize. I heard everything earlier. You could¡¯ve bought it if you wanted." Naruto said nonchntly, "I don''t care about what those bugs say."


    "Bugs?" Sakura blinked and didn''t react for a moment.


    "Well, I see those people as bugs." Naruto exined, "In fact, aside from excluding me, they can¡¯t really do anything to me."


    "They have no power and live their lives in confusion. Even though I became a Shinobi, they still speak rudely to me as always."


    "To me, they are just the bugs of Konoha. Whether they live or die doesn¡¯t matter to me."


    Sakura became increasingly nervous as she listened, so she quickly tried to change the subject. But just as she was about to speak, a sh of golden light caught her eye.


    "Why are you walking together?" Ino raised her umbre and stood in the rain, looking at the two with curiosity.


    Sakura was afraid that Ino would know that she was shopping for Sasuke¡¯s birthday present, and she was also worried that Naruto might spill the beans, so she quickly exined.


    "I had something to ask Naruto for help with!"


    "Hmm?" Ino stared at Sakura suspiciously, "Since when did you two get so close that you¡¯d ask each other for helps?"


    "It''s about training! Right, Naruto?¡± Sakura said nervously, her awkwardness making it obvious she was lying.


    "Yes." Naruto nodded.


    "Training?" Ino retracted her gaze, the gossipy and suspicious look on her face slowly fading.


    She did know that the two of them were in the same team as Sasuke, and that Naruto¡¯s top score in the graduation exam was indeed surprising.


    If Sakura were asking for advice on training, that would indeed make sense.


    But there is another thing that Ino cares about. Ever since Naruto said in front of her that day that Sasuke doesn''t like women, this has be her personal torment.


    "I see you two have walked together for quite a while. Is your training over?" Ino asked.


    "Yes¡­ it¡¯s over." Sakura said helplessly. She really couldn''t tell another lie.


    "Okay then." Ino then handed her umbre to Sakura and dragged Naruto away!


    "What?" Sakura was stunned.


    "I¡¯m borrowing him for a bit!" Ino''s voice came from afar as they disappeared from sight.

 Chapter 18 Incident

    Chapter 18 Incident


    In a narrow alley, Ino cornered Naruto against the wall.


    Her thick golden bangs covered half of her face, and her blue eyes stared intensely at Naruto as she uttered, "Hey!"


    "Does Sasuke like women?"


    "What?" Naruto tilted his head and looked at Ino in confusion,pletely unaware that he was being interrogated.


    "Damn it! You said that yourself!" Ino was getting frustrated. She grabbed Naruto by the shirt and said, "Don¡¯t y dumb, Naruto!"


    "Well, you should ask Sasuke directly." Naruto suddenly smirked mischievously.


    "Ugh, damn it!" Ino was on the verge of losing it, clutching her head and shaking it from side to side, "Does he like women or not?"


    "I have a way to verify it." Naruto chimed in at the right moment.


    "What way?" Ino looked up suddenly.


    "Every year, Konoha¡¯s Shinobi have a chance to take a collective hot spring vacation." Naruto said with a smile, "When the timees, you can go directly to the men''s side while Sasuke is alone."


    ¡°Go to hell!¡±


    Ino, not getting the answer she wanted, took a deep breath and decided to give up.


    The Yamanaka Flower Shop wasn¡¯t far away. Naruto escorted Ino there before returning to his apartment. In fact, he actually had a pretty good rtionship with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.


    The next day, Naruto¡¯s two-day break ended.


    Kakashi gathered Team 7 and informed them that their mission had been approved. Moreover, he had taken the liberty of assigning them their first C-Rank mission.


    "Protecting a bridge-building expert from the Land of Waves?" Sakura asked.


    "Yes." Kakashi, with his usualid-back demeanor and hands in his pockets, said, "Stay alert. This is your first ever C-Rank mission."


    "Even though C-Rank missions generally don¡¯t involve encountering enemies, anything can happen outside the vige."


    "Bandits, Rogue Shinobi, pirates, Shinobi from other Shinobi Viges. Any of these factors could escte the mission into abat situation."


    "I know, Kakashi-sensei. You¡¯re so nagging." Naruto, who was in a much better mood than during the rainy day yesterday, couldn¡¯t help butin.


    When he left his apartment that morning, he had tossed a bag of garbage in the faces of those people with gloomy looks downstairs, which had lifted his spirits significantly.


    Those vigers were just like keyboard warriors. When they saw Naruto take out the Shinobi forehead protector, they immediately shrank back and dared not to speak.


    Kakashi didn¡¯t say a word, just gave Naruto a knock on the head.


    "Team 7! Gather at the vige gate in half an hour. Dismissed!"


    After saying that, Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke.


    "I''m really looking forward to this mission!" Sakura said with a hint of longing, "I wonder what kind of person that bridge-building expert is like."


    "Whatever. We¡¯re just there to protect the client." Sasuke said indifferently, "It doesn¡¯t matter who he is. Kakashi already said there wouldn¡¯t be anybat in a C-Rank mission."


    "It''s boring. Let¡¯s just get it over with and not waste time.¡±


    Naruto nced at Sasuke and noticed he was wearing a blue wrist guard on his left wrist.


    "Naruto, what kind of person do you think the bridge-building expert is?" Sakura turned to look at Naruto, who was yawning at the moment.


    "No idea. But since he''s an expert, he must be an old man with a bad temper." Naruto scratched his face and said indifferently.


    Half an hourter, at the gate of Konoha Vige.


    "Hey! Are you kidding me? I paid for protection! Now you sent three little brats to protect me. What''s wrong with you Konoha people?"


    A scruffy, bearded old man clutching a bottle of alcohol was yelling at Kakashi.


    "Is this how Konoha treats its clients? How can you protect me like this? I¡¯m a bridge-building expert!"


    Sakura¡¯s face was full of dark lines as she stared at the tall, scruffy old man, then she turned around and nced at Naruto, her expression saying that ¡®you guessed it right¡¯.


    Kakashi was exining with a smile, but the old man was not convinced at all and spoke with great agitation.


    "I am Tazuna, the bridge-building expert from the Land of Waves!"


    Naruto, who was on the side, was growing increasingly impatient, and shouted at the man.


    "Shut up, old man! What¡¯s so impressive about building bridges?"


    "You little brat!" Tazuna¡¯s expression turned agitated, but he quickly calmed down with Kakashi¡¯s intervention. After some coaxing, he finally agreed to set off.


    Half a dayter.


    The group reached the border of the Land of Fire¡¯s forest. If they walked a little further, they would reach the dock. However, Kakashi''s eye became sharper for a moment.


    Sasuke seemed to notice Kakashi''s reaction and his brow slightly furrowed. Although he still looked calm, he had already be vignt.


    Naruto had long known that someone was waiting to ambush them. After all, the hiding skills of the Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi were too clumsy. But he was not worried and continued to walk forward while humming a tune.


    As they walked, even Sakura in the team felt a little nervous. She couldn''t help feeling uneasy when listening to Naruto''s ambiguous humming.


    Just as she was about to speak, an unexpected turn of events urred.


    Two Shinobi suddenly jumped out from the puddle on the road, wielding spiked chains, and charged straight at Kakashi.


    In that instant, the muggy wind stopped, and Naruto could feel the sweat sticking to his skin momentarily freeze.


    This mysterious feeling was fleeting. The ck-and-white scene was suddenly filled with color, bing vivid. A mechanical synthesis sound rang in his head again.


    At that moment, the frozen scene instantly came to life. Kakashi was attacked and blood was sttered everywhere.


    Naruto knew that this was Kakashi''s Body Recement Technique, and ignored Sakura''s screams. The two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi thought they had dealt with Kakashi, so they charged towards the seemingly defenseless Naruto.


    "Naruto, dodge!" Sakura shouted in horror.


    But Naruto remained unmoved, as if he was frozen in ce. Not far away, Sasuke clicked his tongue and threw three shuriken.


    The three shuriken temporarily repelled the two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi. At this moment, Naruto finally moved. However, he didn¡¯t retreat, and instead charged towards them.


    "Naruto! It¡¯s dangerous!"


    Sasuke was also stunned. After regaining his senses, without any hesitation, he grabbed his kunai and rushed towards them.


    "Sakura, protect Mr. Tazuna."


    Sakura only heard Sasuke¡¯s words before seeing Naruto and Sasuke rush towards the two enemy Shinobi.


    Her heart pounded rapidly, a mix of panic and a hint of inferiority. They were all executing their first mission, but those two didn¡¯t seem as scared or apprehensive about confronting Shinobi as she was.


    Just as she was distracted, Naruto¡¯s voice rang out ahead.


    "Damn it! Are you messing with me?"


    "Options! Show yourself!"


    Bang bang bang!


    The two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi fell to the ground with bruised eyes and noses, while Naruto was still muttering strange words while continuing to beat them.


    Sasuke stopped halfway, with a look of shock on his face. While Kakashi, who should have been dead, was standing nearby perfectly fine, shaking his head as he looked at Naruto.

 Chapter 19 Gato’s Wealth

    Chapter 19 Gato¡¯s Wealth


    "Alright, Naruto, that''s enough."


    Kakashi nced at Naruto, who was still punching and kicking the two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi while muttering to himself.


    "I need to ask them some questions."


    Hearing this, Naruto reluctantly stopped.


    He was sure that the momentary pause and desaturation of the scene were caused by the system, but strangely, no system options had popped up.


    That fleeting ripple, appearing and disappearing instantly, felt like the system had experienced some dreadful glitch. Naruto wasn''t sure what had happened to make the system appear and then retract so quickly.


    ¡®Was it broken?¡¯


    Naruto felt a bit uneasy. Thest time, during the bell-grabbing test, he had chosen to give his all rather than doing nothing and take it easy.


    That option didn''t make much sense anyway. Doing nothing? That would harm both himself and others. Even though he would gain Wood Release, it could have meant the end of Team 7.


    At the same time, Naruto also realized one thing.


    The options given by the system weren''t bnced, they seemed more random. The system had no emotions and just triggered options randomly.


    Whether it was a proactive choice or a passive one, neither was a perfect option. Once a choice is made, he will inevitably have to pay the opportunity cost.


    For instance, with Mizuki''s invitation, Naruto had refused and gained full-level fishing mastery. However, at the same time, Naruto lost the opportunity to obtain the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.


    However, Naruto did not regret it afterwards. Only people can use Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, so he will get it sooner orter.


    If he had agreed to Mizuki''s n, he would have to step into the touching drama set up by Sandaime and the other higher-ups, and force himself to suppress his nausea while expressing his loyalty to the vige.


    After summarizing everything in his mind, Naruto also realized something. The system was just an aid, and any choice was meant to improve his situation.


    It is precisely because of the existence of the system that Naruto can obtain Ninjutsu without relying on anyone, and he doesn''t even need to establish any bond with Kyubi to directly draw its power.


    This is the true purpose of the system, to save Naruto from many troubles. He could refuse things he didn''t want to do and obtain everything he desired.


    Naruto thought silently, ¡®This is probably the true purpose of the Take It Easy System.¡¯


    "Are you okay?" Sakura asked worriedly.


    "I¡¯m fine." Naruto waved his hands to indicate that he was really fine.


    Hearing this, Sakura felt a bit reassured but soon remembered something and hesitantly asked.


    "Naruto, why did you just stand still earlier?"


    ¡°It was my first real battle, so I panicked a bit.¡±


    "Really?" Sakura showed a relieved expression and saidfortingly, "I was also shocked just now, my whole body went stiff."


    Rather thanforting Naruto, Sakura wasforting herself. When Kakashi was sliced into pieces by the two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi, Sakura''s face turned as white as paper.


    Naruto nodded and said nothing more.


    Meanwhile, Kakashi''s interrogation was progressing. The two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi were known as the Demon Brothers and were after Tazuna.


    But when Tazuna was asked about this, he remained silent.


    The mission had been epted, so even though something felt off, abandoning the client was not an option. After some thought, Kakashi decided to push forward andplete the mission with Team 7.


    It was not until Team 7 reached the other side of the Land of Waves, aboard a boat heading towards the small ind, that Tazuna revealed the truth.


    "The person who wants me dead is a wealthy tycoon from a shippingpany. I''m sure you''ve heard his name." Tazuna said with a helpless expression on his face.


    As Tazuna continued to exin, the whole situation became clearer.


    Gato is the owner of a shippingpany and a significant figure who operated both legally and illegally. He ran apany on the surface, but secretly hired Shinobi to carry out uwful activities.


    It was this Gato who had set his sights on the ind country of the Land of Waves, which is surrounded by sea on all sides. He wanted to control the waterways to expand his influence on the ind and eventually gainplete control over it.


    The ind''s only bridge was under construction, and the old man in front of them was the only one who knew how to build it. If Gato kills him, the bridge will naturally not be built.


    Naruto leaned back against the boat, letting his hand touch the flowing seawater as he pondered how to make a profit from Gato.


    The Land of Waves was a poor, dirt-eating ind nation, but Gato was a bona fide tycoon. Since Gato was going to die eventually, Naruto thought he might as well seize the opportunity to make some money.


    After all, the purpose of being a Shinobi is to earn money to live. Continuously doing missions didn''t bring much money, and he couldn''t work forever.


    Shinobis also have a prime age for their work. Shinobi fromrge ns generally only trained and did missions during their youth. After that, they lived a more stable life, with regr hours and leisurely activities.


    Since Naruto has decided not to work towards bing Hokage, his future life depended solely on himself, and there are plenty of things he needed money for.


    Dating, buying a house, traveling.


    Come to think of it, Jiraiya''s lifestyle wasn''t bad either, traveling everywhere and visiting different hot springs with different women.


    Even in his fifties or sixties, he was still living well.


    While Naruto was lost in these thoughts, the boat reached the shore.


    Tazuna''s lie gave Kakashi quite a headache. They could choose to abandon the mission. However, one of the purposes of taking a C-Rank mission was to train Team 7, so Kakashi decided on the next n.


    As long as they safely escorted Tazuna home, the mission would be consideredplete.


    "What should we do after this mission?" Kakashi mused leisurely as they walked, "How about giving Team 7 another two days off?"


    "That sounds good." Naruto was the first to agree.


    "That''s great." Sakura said with a smile.


    Sasuke didn''t say anything, but his eyes are scanning their surroundings. As the mission neared its end, he frowned slightly when he heard that the others seemed to have let down their guard and even discussed their ns after the mission.


    ¡®If all Shinobi were like this, it would be hard for them to survive for long.¡¯


    "Hey, how much longer until we arrive?" Naruto turned to Tazuna and asked impatiently, "Old man, say something."


    Compared to Sasuke, Naruto is not worried about Zabuza suddenly appearing. After all, with Kakashi around, there should be no real problem.


    Even if Uchiha Madara came, Kakashi could still beat him. Kakashi was so powerful that he could fight anyone on equal terms.


    With such strong backup, Zabuza''s ambush would only be a joke.


    Besides Kakashi, there were also Sasuke and Naruto who could fight. With three against one, the advantage was on Team 7. That¡¯s why Naruto didn''t pay attention to Zabuza. He was always thinking about Gato, the financial backer behind Zabuza.


    ¡®System, system, pleasee out.¡¯ Naruto thought silently in his heart, "I can''t pull off this Robin Hood act without you."


    ¡®System?¡¯


    ¡®Daddy System?¡¯


    [Ding!]


    The familiar mechanical voice sounded, and Naruto took a deep breath. At this moment, the sound was like music to his ears.

 Chapter 20 Choice

    Chapter 20 Choice


    The panel popped up, presenting the ssic two-choice scenario.


    [Option 1: Kill Momochi Zabuza. Reward: Ice Release (Iplete)]


    [Option 2: Kill Haku. Reward: All assets rted to Gato (Real estate andpany assets will be converted into cash at the same value and stored in the new system warehouse function).]


    Seeing this, Naruto swallowed his saliva almost immediately. He didn''t feel guilty about killing either. After all, whether it was Zabuza or Haku, they were enemies in a life-or-death battle.


    But what really annoyed Naruto was¡­


    ¡®Why did I have to choose between the two? Why in this world was there such a cruel thing as choosing between the two?¡¯


    ¡®Can''t I just kill them both?¡¯


    The system didn''t respond at all, and Naruto didn''t dare to act rashly. The previous incident made him a little afraid. After all, if he bugged the system and lost it, the loss would outweigh the gain.


    Without the system, Naruto would have no way of escaping his predetermined fate. Whether he liked it or not, the Akatsuki woulde for him and kill him, unless he trained desperately, which would also mean he couldn''t escape the cycle of serving Konoha.


    He would have to form those bonds and get involved in troublesome things like being the Child of Prophecy. He would be tortured over and over again, licking blood off the de.


    "Naruto? Why did you suddenly stop? Is¡­ Is there something wrong?"


    Noticing Naruto''s sudden halt, Sakura immediately became alert and looked around nervously, fearing that another Shinobi would suddenly jump out from some corner.


    Fortunately, what she feared didn''t happen, and her voice also made Kakashi and the others at the front turned around to look at the stopping Naruto.


    "It''s okay, just a bit of a stomach ache." Naruto said.


    Hearing this, Kakashi and the others turned back and continued walking.


    Naruto caught up with the group, staring at the pop-up panel in front of him with a frown, while there¡¯s a constant turmoil in his mind.


    ¡®Zabuza is a Water Release Shinobi, so I can use Kyubi¡¯s Chakra to counterattack. With the addition of Lava Release, I should be able to fight him.¡¯


    ¡®But with Kakashi around, even if I face Zabuza, I won''t be under much pressure. Instead, I can take advantage of Zabuza''s contempt for Genin and seize the opportunity tounch a surprise attack.¡¯


    ¡®Haku''s Kekkei Genkai is Ice Release, which was countered by Lava Release.¡¯


    ¡®No matter what, if I want to kill Zabuza, I can''t avoid Haku. As long as Haku is still alive, he will definitely protect Zabuza at all costs.¡¯


    ¡®Therefore, it is not that easy to kill Zabuza in one go. Instead of doing that, it is better to just target Haku directly.¡¯


    Killing Zabuza will give Naruto the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, which is a rare help for him at this moment.


    Even with the iplete Ice Release, Naruto''s strength could leap to the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin.


    But Gato¡¯s entire fortune was equally appealing to Naruto.


    In this world, even Akatsuki has to take on missions for money. The assumption that being strong meant nevercking money was incorrect in this world. As robbery will also bring risks such as being hunted down by Shinobi.


    The amount of fortune a person can steal at one time is extremely limited, as wealth is mostly in the form of fixed assets andpanies. The stolen money and jewels might not even be usable and could bring safety risks.


    But the system''s operation directly extracted Gato¡¯s wealth. All thepany''s fixed assets, like the jewelry, buildings, etc., will be converted into cash and stored in the system warehouse. This means that all the money would be clean.


    ¡®With this money, I will be truly free.¡¯ Naruto murmured to himself, ¡®I also want to be stronger. I will definitely do so next time.¡¯


    Up ahead, Kakashi was talking to Tazuna, and their conversation inevitably reached Naruto''s ears.


    "Gato has umted a lot of wealth over the years by using Shinobi. Now, his fortune rivals nations. He has countless Rogue Samurai and Shinobi under hismand, making his force very powerful."


    "Well, I have heard of that. I asionally hear such information when I am on missions." Kakashi''szy voice responded.


    "That man is a very scary guy. If you guys hadn''t escorted me, I might have already been killed on the way."


    "Since Konoha took the mission, we absolutely won''t abandon it halfway. Rest assured, we''ll make sure you get home safely."


    Their conversation became more chaotic, and Naruto decided to stop listening. His eyes gradually became determined, ¡®Wealth that rivaled nations?¡¯


    ¡®Sure enough, it turned out that I had made the right choice.¡¯


    The system had solved his worries, as this wealth would be stored directly in the system''s warehouse.


    This meant that Naruto only needed toplete the system''s task, and the wealth would appear in the system warehouse without leaving a trace.


    Even if someone discovered Gato¡¯s wealth had disappeared, they wouldn''t associate it with Naruto.


    Since he no longer intended to be entangled with Sandaime and avoid being brainwashed with the ¡®vige''s interests above all¡¯, he had to take control of his finances.


    He remembered that in the original work, Naruto ran around doing missions for the vige, solving problem after problem, yet he remained a Genin.


    Although one reason was the abundance of missions leaving him no time for exams, but ording to the rules, since Naruto was still a Genin, the share of the mission rewards he got was very low.


    In the end, no matter how hard he worked as a Genin, he couldn''t save much money. And after bing Hokage, his lifepletely revolved around the vige.


    On the other hand, the members of the Konoha¡¯s big ns nevercked money. Even Tsunade, who had a gambling addiction, could never run out of money.


    Moreover, the dowry given by the Hyuga n is enough tost Naruto a lifetime. His financial situation before and after marriage couldn''t bepared at all.


    Mooching is indeed morefortable. But although Naruto didn''t mind living off Hinata, as a man, he still wanted to excel in his own right.


    After thinking about it, Naruto still chose Gato¡¯s treasure as his first pot of gold.


    ¡®It won¡¯t be long before Team 7 is short of staff.¡¯


    Naruto had to n ahead and avoid the vicious circle of working hard. People around him are not short of money. He can''t live like the prince of Konoha and still have to work for money.


    Just as he was thinking about it, a huge, spinning Kubikiribocho suddenly blocked their path ahead.


    "Watch out!" Sakura immediately tackled Tazuna to the ground.


    Kubikiribocho flew past them, embedding itself into a tree. At the same time, a figure appeared on top of the de, staring coldly at them.


    "Momochi Zabuza?" Kakashi instantly recognized the bandage-wrapped man standing on the de.


    He then quietly reminded the Genin of Team 7 behind him, "Be careful, this guy is a Missing-nin from Kirigakure, and has Elite Jonin-level strength,parable to me."


    "Hatake Kakashi." Zabuza jumped down to the grass, grinning wildly, with the massive Kubikiribocho slung over his shoulder. He then arrogantly said, "I''ll take the life of the man in front of you!"


    Almost as soon as he spoke, Zabuza''s figure suddenly disappeared, and with a bang, he suddenly appeared in front of Tazuna.


    "This is my client. I will be in trouble if the mission fails. Why don''t you pick a different target?" Kakashi''s voice waszy but firm as he blocked the Kubikiribocho with a kunai.

 Chapter 21 Haku

    Chapter 21 Haku


    The moment the weapons of the two Elite Jonin collided, a heavy killing intent burst forth, almost suffocating everyone present.


    Even Naruto felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave thousands of feet deep in an instant, and his whole body was frozen stiff, unable to move. After all, this is the first time he felt such intense killing intent.


    Sasuke and Sakura were not much better off, as they just stood there in a daze.


    A thick mist began to rise around them. Kakashi and Zabuza, locked in a deadly stare-down with their weapons shing, had no time to pay attention to Naruto and the others.


    Warm Chakra flowed gently through Naruto''s body, and within a few seconds, he adjusted himself. He turned around and rushed directly towards Sasuke and Sakura, pping each of them on the back.


    Almost at the same time, their eyes, which had been dazed, snapped back to focus.


    They immediately both gasped for air, as if they had been holding their breath for a long time.


    "The killing intent of a Jonin is too terrifying." Sasuke said, his face still taut with fear.


    At the same time, he also realized that Naruto was the first among them to snap out of it, and that his intervention had helped both him and Sakura break free from their frozen state.


    Sakura sat on the ground, her whole body trembling uncontrobly.


    Zabuza''s killing intent was not a Genjutsu, but a tangible presence enhanced by his Chakra, causing fear to grip the three Genin of Team 7.


    "Sakura." Naruto pulled Sakura up and said, "Immediately disrupt the flow of Chakra in your body, just like when you break a Genjutsu."


    As soon as these words came out, Sasuke and Sakura reacted immediately and formed a hand seal with their hands. This trick really worked, and the two of them immediately shook off the paralysis.


    On the other side, Kakashi and Zabuza were already engaged in battle. Suddenly, a water clone of Zabuza rose from a nearby puddle like a ghost, then rushed toward Naruto and the others.


    A water clone of an Elite Jonin had at least the strength of a Chunin.


    "Watch out!" Kakashi caught a glimpse of Zabuza''s water clone while fighting the real body, and hurriedly shouted to warn his students.


    Logically speaking, Kakashi could have left a shadow clone to protect Team 7. But he obviously didn''t want to do that, as Shinobi are a profession where the strong prey on the weak.


    Without Kakashi''s reminder, the three of them still saw Zabuza''s water clone. Sasuke pulled Tazuna back, while Naruto grabbed Sakura and retreated as well.


    "Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, "Quick! Shuriken!"


    In response, three shuriken flew at Zabuza in a sh, and Naruto followed right behind them, clearly nning to engage Zabuza¡¯s water clone head-on.


    "Sakura! Genjutsu!" Narutomanded as he charged.


    Although this was their first team battle and they hadn''t discussed a n, Naruto was now taking the lead, even though it was clear to Zabuza''s clone.


    Tazuna, who had been boasting about being a bridge-building expert earlier, now stood trembling like a Psyduck, while Sasuke stood protectively in front of him.


    As Sakura heard Naruto''s voice, she, though flustered, reacted promptly. The Genjutsu she used had no effect on Zabuza¡¯s water clone, but it was enough to momentarily distract him.


    And this moment is enough! The mechanical synthesized voice sounded in Naruto''s mind!


    [Kyubi''s approval 2.2%]


    Orange Chakra instantly enveloped Naruto''s entire body, his pupils turning blood-red in an instant, and the overwhelming power surging within him.


    With a bang, Naruto, who was charging forward, suddenly vanished from his spot.


    At the next moment, Naruto''s body appeared like a phantom behind Zabuza''s water clone, then he delivered a heavy sweep kick that shattered the water clone.


    Kyubi is powerful enough to render even the Yondaime Hokage and a group of Elite Jonin helpless. Even though Naruto can only use 2.2% of Kyubi¡¯s power, he was already approaching the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin.


    Without considering the recent acquisition of his Lava Release, Naruto¡¯s reliance on just this little bit of Kyubi¡¯s power was enough to let him look down upon all the Chunin in Konoha.


    "How could that kid be so strong?" Tazuna, the Psyduck, who was standing in ce, watched Naruto decisively deal with the water clone and couldn¡¯t help but exim.


    These words were naturally heard by Sasuke, who was holding a kunai in front of him on guard, and his face darkened slightly.


    If Naruto was lucky the first time he defeated the two Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi who were ambushing them, then his second time breaking the paralysis and taking down an Elite Jonin¡¯s water clone was proof enough that Naruto¡¯s strength was indeed the most outstanding in Team 7. While Sasuke is only slightly better than Sakura.


    If Naruto had been born into a noble n, enjoyed the best resources, and trained rigorously every day, Sasuke would not care so much.


    But he knew well that since he met Naruto, the guy had always been thest in the ss, boastful and his ability is at the bottom.


    Such a person was not worth him wasting time to look at. He had never thought of forming a bond with such a person, but¡­


    It seemed that overnight, Naruto had changed. Not only did he graduate with the top score from the Academy, but he also knew so much about the vige¡¯s ns'' secrets.


    Although those secrets weren¡¯t huge, for Sasuke, whose n was wiped out when he was young, and Sakura, who was from a civilian background, these were already considered obscure knowledge.


    Whether it was sharing information or enhancing strength, Sasuke quietly wondered, ¡®Could this guy have been pretending all along?¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s been at the bottom of the ss every year, it¡¯s too stable.¡¯


    ¡®Pretending to be a useless student?¡¯


    Confused thoughts swirled in Sasuke''s mind, while Sakura let out a sigh of relief. She sped her hands together nervously and thought secretly in her heart, ¡®Luckily, there''s Naruto.¡¯


    If Naruto hadn''t called her just now, she might have been frozen like a piece of wood again. At least, she had used a Genjutsu, contributing to the team¡¯s effort.


    After losing a water clone, Zabuza no longer had the energy to create another one. After all, at this moment, he was fighting with Kakashi, and both of them are injured.


    Seeing this, Naruto rushed forward without thinking.


    At this time, Kakashi had also found a w in Zabuza¡¯s defense, so he took the initiative to form hand seals, and unleashed a Water Dragon Bullet Technique straight at Zabuza¡¯s face.


    Zabuza barely dodged but was still injured. Before he could move again, three senbon suddenly flew out of nowhere and pierced Zabuza''s neck directly.


    Kakashi immediately became alert, while Naruto rxed his furrowed brow.


    ¡®Is Haku finally going to appear?¡¯


    A masked boy suddenly emerged from the thick mist and directly jumped in front of Zabuza, who was lying on the ground.


    Naruto''s pupils shrank slightly and he secretly mobilized the Chakra in his body.

 Chapter 22 Lava Release

    Chapter 22 Lava Release


    Zabuzay motionless on the ground, and Haku, wearing a mask, stood beside him, watching Kakashi and Team 7 calmly.


    "I am a Hunter-nin from Kirigakure, tasked with retrieving the Missing-nin from our vige." Haku''s voice was cold and his words were concise.


    The dense, milky fog still hung around the forest, showing no signs of dissipating. Mist from the treetops gathered into drops, falling with a soft plop onto the grass below.


    Even Kakashi was uncertain about the masked youth who imed to be a Hunter-nin. Team 7 was equally tense, muscles taut and ready for action.


    Kakashi said nothing, merely stepping forward to check Zabuza''s breath. After confirming he had stopped breathing, Kakashi rxed slightly. Since the enemy is dead, it was only right to return the body to Kirigakure.


    "Kakashi-sensei, is he dead?" Naruto suddenly appeared behind Kakashi, pointing at the motionless Zabuza with an innocent expression.


    Haku stood aside without reacting, his eyes scanning Naruto''s face from behind the mask.


    "Ah, he''s dead." Kakashi, Konoha''s top genius, replied perfunctorily, "He was hit by my Water Dragon Bullet just now, and then his throat was pierced by this Hunter-nin''s needles, so he died just like that."


    At this moment, Naruto seriously doubted that Kakashi had seen through Zabuza''s fake death and was intentionally letting him go.


    In fact, it is understandable since the forty-four hand seals required for the Water Dragon Bullet Technique consumed too much of Kakashi''s stamina. It is understandable that Kakashi is unwilling to take the risk of entanglement with the enemies, but still!


    ¡®Come on! As an Elite Jonin, how could you not have the awareness of finishing off a target?¡¯


    Naruto nned to teach the naive Kakashi, the best holding-back person in Konoha, a lesson, to let him know how powerful the most boastful¡­ No, most ruthless Shinobi in Konoha is.


    "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, howe this guy can move if he''s dead?" Naruto said while pointing at the supposedly dead Zabuza lying on the ground.


    "What?" Kakashi''s expression instantly became serious.


    "He''s already dead." Haku, who was trying to maintain his cool demeanor, couldn''t help but retort, "Little brother, you must have seen it wrong."


    "This man is a Missing-nin from Kirigakure. His body contains the vige''s secrets. Please allow me to take his body back."


    After saying this, behind the mask, Haku¡¯s face couldn''t help but show nervousness, but fortunately, the mask covered his face so that he wouldn''t be exposed.


    Zabuza, unable to withstand a prolonged battle against Team 7, had nned this fake death to escape.


    Haku had arrived as nned, and everything would have gone smoothly, until this blonde kid suddenly interfered.


    Kakashi looked at Naruto, then at Haku, and finally his gaze rested on the motionless Zabuza.


    "In that case, please allow me to verify whether Zabuza is alive or dead."


    "Sure." Haku replied.


    Kakashi stretched out his hand and slowly reached towards Zabuza''s neck. Everyone''s eyes were fixed on Kakashi''s hand, with Sakura and Sasuke instinctively holding their breath.


    ¡®Lava Release!¡¯


    Naruto, who was standing next to Kakashi, suddenly jumped up, arge amount of Chakra surged out of his body, and his eyes instantly turned scarlet.


    Scorchingva surged from Naruto''s hand, and its intense heat evaporated the surrounding mist in an instant.


    Seeing that Naruto had hurled theva at Zabuza, who was pretending to be dead on the ground, Hakuon the side was shocked and pounced towards Zabuza.


    Haku''s right hand was scorched ck by the intense heat of the Lava Release, but he also managed to save Zabuza and deftly pulled out the senbon from his neck with his left hand.


    Zabuza''s eyes snapped open and he instantly came back to life.


    "Zabuza-sama, I failed." Haku said to Zabuza apologetically, but his face showed no signs of pain despite his severely burned right hand, as if the hand was not his own but belonged to someone else.


    After he finished speaking, Haku formed a single-hand hand seal and, together with Zabuza, vanished swiftly like the wind.


    This secret escape technique was akin to the smoke escape technique. Naruto can understand it, but he can''t learn it.


    Kakashi watched Zabuza and Haku leave the whole time, and three secondster, he copsed to the ground, unconscious.


    "Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura hurried forward to check on him.


    "It must be that his Chakra has been used up." Naruto imitated Kakashi''s earlier method of checking Zabuza''s breath, waving his hand in front of Kakashi''s nose and calmly stated.


    Kakashi on the ground had fallen into a baby-like sleep. Fortunately, his breathing was still steady, indicating he had indeed fainted.


    "This is not a good ce to stay, let''s take him back first." Sasuke said with one hand in his pocket.


    He had tried a one-handed hand seal earlier but had failed. His hand, left hanging, moved uneasily before he grabbed one of Kakashi''s arms and put it over his shoulder.


    Naruto followed suit, taking Kakashi''s other arm over his shoulder, and they supported him together.


    "The vige is just ahead. Let''s take him to my house." The protected client, Tazuna, suggested.


    The three Genin of Team 7 discussed it for a while and agreed directly.


    At Tazuna''s house.


    The three ced Kakashi in a clean room,ying him on a futon. Sakura tucked the quilt for Kakashi with a worried look on her face.


    When she walked out the door, Naruto and Sasuke were already standing in the hallway, waiting for her.


    When Sakura saw Naruto''s gaze, she nodded in understanding, didn''t say anything, and followed the two boys directly.


    They walked a short distance outside the house, where the view was open enough to spot enemies and their conversation wouldn''t be overheard.


    "How''s Kakashi?" Sasuke asked with serious expression.


    Sakura, with a tired look on her face, shook her head worriedly.


    "He just fainted from exhaustion. He should be fine."


    "We can''t let our guard down until Kakashi-sensei wakes up," Naruto said. "The enemy could attack at any moment before they die."


    "Who are those people?" Sakura asked, visibly shaken. After all, it was her first time facing a life-and-death battle between Shinobi.


    "The Missing-nin from Kirigakure." Sasuke was a little calmer and said calmly, "What concerns me is Zabuza''s killing intent. He''s as strong as Kakashi."


    "And that man wearing the mask can form hand seal with one hand. We must be on guard against that skill when we face him next time."


    "Then next time, we''ll kill them." Naruto raised his hand and made a cutting gesture, "That masked Shinobi¡¯s right hand is already useless."


    "We mustplete the mission, and with Kakashi-sensei¡¯s current state of not being able to fight, I want to ask you both something."


    At this point, Naruto lowered his voice significantly.


    "This mission was supposed to end here. We have already sent that old drunk back. But if we don''t take this chance to kill those two while they are injured, it will be a hidden danger for us."


    "I have a n to kill those two Kirigakure¡¯s Missing-nin before Kakashi-sensei wakes up."

 Chapter 23 The Decisive Strike

    Chapter 23 The Decisive Strike


    ¡®Kill the Kirigakure¡¯s Missing-nin?¡¯


    Sasuke raised his head and looked at Naruto, almost instinctively frowning.


    ¡®With just the three of them, how could we possibly kill an Elite Jonin on par with Kakashi?¡¯


    ¡®Not to mention that Zabuza still has a masked boy by his side whose strength is unknown. How could we possibly achieve this?¡¯


    ¡®It''s simply insane.¡¯


    Sakura looked at Naruto in shock, almost thinking her ears were malfunctioning.


    "Naruto, the three of us are still Genin! Killing a Jonin is¡­ impossible, right?"


    "No, it¡¯s not." Naruto raised his hand, and the hot Lava Release surged from his palm. "If we seize the opportunity, I can kill them."


    "What is that?" Sakura was stunned for a moment.


    "I don''t know how I did it." Naruto scratched his head, feigning innocence, "It just came out during an emergency."


    Sasuke was speechless, his eyes began to wander, ¡®It seemed that ever since we left the Academy, the gap between us had widened.¡¯


    ¡®The guy seemed to have said before that the other teams are almost all ns¡¯ Shinobi, so they probably inherited their n¡¯s Ninjutsu like the Uchiha n in the past.¡¯


    ¡®But now the Uchiha n no longer exists.¡¯ Sasuke''s eyes dimmed for a moment, and a feeling of powerlessness surged into his heart and then disappeared in an instant.


    "What should we do?" Sasuke raised his head and his eyes became determined.


    Either he bes stronger in battle or he dies in battle. If things continued as they were, he would never have the hope of killing that man.


    "Strike while the iron is hot!" Naruto said decisively, "Kakashi-sensei was already seriously injured, not to mention Zabuza, who was at a disadvantage at the time."


    "That masked boy''s arm is also already useless. Now is the best opportunity!"


    "Naruto!" Sakura was stunned as she listened on the side. Then, she finally understood that these two people were really nning to kill those two Missing-nin.


    "But we don''t know where they are."


    "I know!" Naruto suddenly smiled, "They can''t run far, so they must be hiding somewhere in the woods."


    "Maybe it''s a small wooden house, or a room in a building."


    Upon hearing this, Sakura looked at Naruto and then at Sasuke, realizing that at this point, both of them had made up their minds and there was absolutely no turning back.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be too risky?¡±


    Upon hearing this, both Naruto and Sasuke looked at her.


    Sakura was a bit flustered and suddenly at a loss, and asked stutteringly.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s okay." Naruto said, "Sakura, if we don''t take action now, it will be even more dangerous when those two recover."


    "We have no way out. Behind Zabuza is Gato. Didn''t you hear what the old drunk, Tazuna, said?"


    "Gato has many Rogue Shinobi and Rogue Samurai under hismand. If we don''t eliminate Zabuza and the masked boy, we will have to face attacks from two forces."


    As he said that, Naruto held up four fingers.


    "There are only four of us, one Jonin and three Genin. If we face Gato and Zabuza together, we will have no chance."


    "Although there are only three of us now, we only need to deal with a masked boy with half his hand disabled. No matter how you think about it, acting now is the best strategy."


    ¡®Naruto''s words made sense.¡¯ Sakura opened her eyes wide, and she had no way to refute him. Finally, she bit her lip and nodded in agreement.


    Seeing this, Naruto nced at the two of them and said seriously.


    "Believe me."


    "This time, we will definitely win. Once we deal with Zabuza, Gato will be just a bug."


    Naruto wasn¡¯t exaggerating. Zabuza is the most powerful Shinobi Gato could hire. After all, a profit-driven and unscrupulous businessman like Gato wouldn¡¯t spend a fortune hiring a legitimate Shinobi.


    It must be known that his subordinates are a group of Rogue Shinobi and Rogue Samurai, in other words, thugs. He hired Zabuza simply because he saw the advantage of his Missing-nin status. Even so, he wanted to get his services for free.


    So the whole situation is easy to understand. Gato wanted to kill bridge-building expert, Tazuna. But when he learned that Tazuna had hired bodyguards from Konoha, he called in a backup hitter.


    Gato, wanting to cut costs, didn¡¯t use a legitimate tform to find a mercenary, but instead privately contacted Zabuza and promised to pay him after the job was done.


    However, Gato never intended to pay. He nned to swoop in and take advantage during the ensuing chaos.


    ¡­


    Night.


    For the first time, Team 7 undertook a solo mission, slipping into the forest under the cover of darkness.


    "Found it." Naruto scouted the area, then jumped back to the others, and speaks in a hushed tone, "They¡¯re in a two-story cabin in the woods."


    Hearing this, Sakura couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.


    "I¡¯llunch a frontal attack, you nk, and Sakura, you provide Genjutsu support. How does that sound?¡± Sasuke quickly proposed a battle n.


    "Okay!" Naruto nodded, "But there is one thing I want to confirm."


    "What is it?"


    "The Uchiha n can awaken the so-called Sharingan, right?" Naruto said casually, "Sasuke, it¡¯s best if you go all out from the start. This way Sakura will be safer."


    "The longer this drags on, the more dangerous it bes for Sakura."


    "Me?" Sakura was a bit confused, but she couldn''t help but be more nervous. "You¡­ you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."


    "Sakura, your strength isn¡¯t in directbat." Naruto looked at Sakura deeply and said, "You don''t need to push yourself. Sasuke and I will handle the fighting."


    "You just need to support us with Genjutsu. If the situation changes, we¡¯ll rely on you to help us get out."


    Hearing this, Sakura couldn''t help but feel moved and nodded firmly.


    "Don''t worry, I can do it!"


    Whether she could or not, Naruto didn¡¯t know. But he knew that Haku and Zabuza were right in front of him, and if he and Sasuke unleashed their strongest attacks from the start, Haku alone wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them.


    The three took their positions, each on a different side of the two-story cabin.


    After exchanging a nce, Sasuke made the first move. He ran forward, throwing three shuriken at odd angles toward the cabin.


    Naruto went directly from behind, orange Chakra enveloped his whole body, the hot Lava Release heating his body. This time, he unleashed all his Chakra, aiming for a single, lethal strike.


    Sakura took a deep breath and followed the trajectory of the shuriken thrown by Sasuke. At the moment when the window was broken by the shuriken, she formed a hand seal, immediately activating her Genjutsu.


    Naruto directly burst through the cabin¡¯s wall, and the hot Lava Release instantly set it on fire. Haku immediately fled from the cabin with Zabuza on his back, with her ckened hand hanging uselessly in front of him.


    "Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.


    At this moment, Sasuke was blocking the direction of Haku and Zabuza''s escape route, and his scarlet one-tomoe Sharingan suddenly unleashed!


    Haku, who was still forming hand seals with one hand, was caught off guard and froze in ce. Even though this time was less than a second, Sakura managed to seize the opportunity to cast another Genjutsu on him.


    "Die!" Naruto was nearly frantic, his pupils were blood red.


    Seizing Haku¡¯s momentary pause, he rushed towards the two of them withva all over his body, directly piercing Haku¡¯s chest.


    The scorchingva directly burned through the weakened Zabuza, who couldn¡¯t move. Both of them turned wide-eyed in disbelief, not expecting to meet their end in this unexpected ambush.


    [Gato''s wealth has been stored in the warehouse.]

 Chapter 24 Sakura and Medical Ninjutsu

    Chapter 24 Sakura and Medical Ninjutsu


    At the Konoha¡¯s training ground, a jet-ck crow with blood-red eyes swooped down from the sky. The sun cast its shadow on the ground, creating a swift-moving ck dot.


    Sasuke paused his training, lifting his gaze from the grass. He looked out over the field, his eyes fixing on the dark spot circling the sun above the training grounds.


    With his sharp gaze, Sasuke sensed something unusual and narrowed his eyes, ready to activate his Sharingan.


    "Sasuke!" Sakura''s voice called from a distance.


    The girl, carrying a lunchbox, stood at the edge of the training ground, waving at him. The wind blew through her long hair, and her whole body was coated with ayer of gold in the sun.


    "Thanks." Sasuke walked over to take the lunchbox and noticed it had twoyers. "For that guy?"


    "Yes." Sakura nodded and smiled awkwardly, "After we came back that day, Kakashi-sensei was really furious."


    "Naruto has toplete twenty D-Rank missions by himself as punishment. Until hepletes them, Team 7 can¡¯t take on any more missions."


    "Kakashi meant well. If the vige knew about this, I''m afraid even more severe punishment would be waiting for that guy," Sasuke said while eating a rice ball.


    Hearing this, a trace of worry shed across Sakura''s face.


    "Kakashi-sensei altered the mission report, changing our individual actions to group actions under the leadership of the Jonin. Naruto also took full responsibility, so we don''t have to be punished."


    "But for some reason, Gato¡¯s shippingpany mysteriously went bankrupt. I heard that Gato owed money and couldn''t pay it back. He was killed in a revolt by Rogue Shinobi."


    "Hmm."


    After chatting with Sasuke for a while, Sakura went to the street where Naruto was carrying out his mission. She looked around but saw no one. She looked up and happened to see Naruto lying on the roof, napping in the sun.


    "Naruto, it''s time to eat."


    When Naruto, who was on the roof, heard her voice, he rolled over and jumped down. The building was an old, abandoned house near a bamboo forest.


    The summer breeze blew softly, rustling the bamboo leaves.


    Behind the house was a low slope covered with lush green grass, shining even brighter in the sunlight.


    The two sat on the slope, eating rice balls. Sakura seemed preupied, asionally appearing lost in thought while talking to Naruto.


    "What are you thinking about?" Naruto asked.


    "Nothing, nothing." Sakura forced a smile, but then her face showed a sense of loss again.


    "Naruto."


    "Hmm?"


    "Why do you want to be a Shinobi?" Sakura asked.


    "To live, I guess. Shinobi missions pay well, and being a Shinobies with many benefits." Naruto said thoughtfully, "For someone like me, what else could I do if I didn¡¯t be a Shinobi?"


    Sakura was stunned for a moment, then apologized.


    "It''s fine." Naruto waved his hand, took another bite of the rice ball and said, "Being a ninja is just a job anyway. And I never nned on being one forever."


    "I really envy you, Naruto." Sakura said a little dejectedly.


    "Why?"


    "Because I feel like I can''t help at all. Every time we face danger, it''s always you and Sasuke who step in." Sakura hugged her knees and curled up.


    "Sometimes, I wonder if I''m not cut out to be a Shinobi."


    "That¡¯s not true." Naruto looked at Sakura and said, "Sakura, I remember when we graduated, your grades were third in the whole Academy, right?"


    "Un.¡±


    "Exactly. This proves that you have the talent to be a Shinobi, but you just haven''t found your own path yet."


    "Path?" Sakura raised her head when she heard that.


    "Yes, your own path." Naruto affirmed, "Team 7 should be the most unique team among this year''s Genin Teams, so there¡¯s no need topare yourself to Sasuke and me."


    "The Uchiha n has always excelled inbat. Both their Taijutsu and Shurikenjutsu are passed down from generation to generation."


    "And Sasuke''s path was determined from the beginning. Those eyes of his, do you know the secret of the Uchiha n''s Sharingan?"


    "Sasuke-kun¡¯s secret?" Sakura was a little surprised.


    She suddenly recalled Sasuke''s eerie, glowing red eyes when they¡¯re in the forest of the Land of Waves, and she couldn''t help but be tense.


    "The Uchiha n is a n of hatred," Naruto said, "He carries an immense burden, and that hatred drives him to be stronger."


    "Those eyes of his are an incredible weapon. They might even be able to defeat Hokage-sama."


    "Hatred?" Sakura''s face turned pale.


    "Yeah, so you don''t have to worry so much." Naruto began tidying up the lunch box, "Sakura, you also have your own ninja way. You just need to find the training path that suits you."


    "For example, how about Medical Ninjutsu?"


    "Why Medical Ninjutsu?" Sakura asked curiously.


    "Medical Ninjutsu requires high precision in Chakra control," Naruto exined. "Sakura, you have a talent in this area, so I think you could try learning Medical Ninjutsu."


    "Thank you, Naruto." Sakura said sincerely, "Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of it myself."


    "Well, we¡¯re teammates, aren¡¯t we?" Naruto stood up and looked at Sakura, who was very touched, "You should go back and think about it carefully. I¡¯ve got to get back to my mission."


    With that said, he disappeared from Sakura''s sight.


    Sakura looked in the direction Naruto had gone to with aplicated look. Finally, she sighed, picked up the lunchbox, and left.


    Naruto didn¡¯t go back to catching stray cats and dogs, but instead found another rooftop to lie down and continue basking in the sun.


    A panel popped up and Naruto opened the system storage with his thoughts.


    Looking at the dazzling array of treasures and cash inside, Naruto¡¯s face showed a satisfied smile, ¡®With all this money, I would never have to work for money again in my life.¡¯


    Yet, amidst the joy, Naruto also felt a sense of emptiness.


    ¡®With so much money, why do I still want to work so hard?¡¯


    ¡®How should I spend this money? Buying real estate in Konoha will definitely be a loss. In three years, Pain would tten Konoha with his attacks.¡¯


    ¡®The next step is to break free from Konoha''s control and gain autonomy. The Kyubi in my belly belongs to Konoha, but it doesn''t necessarily have to stay that way.¡¯


    ¡®Besides, that cheap father of mine hadn¡¯t asked my permission to seal the fox inside me. Why should I serve Konoha as a weapon for seventy years?¡¯


    On the rooftop, Naruto crossed his legs and sat up suddenly with a thought in his heart!


    ¡®Damn it, I couldn''t just stay here.


    Now that I had enough money tost ten lifetimes, it would be a shame if I were to be used as a weapon and tied up in Konoha.¡¯


    ¡®One person alone couldn''t achieve much.¡¯


    ¡®If I want to gain power and influence in Konoha, I had to have a n behind me. I also need to be stronger and then expand my n, and use this money to revive the Uzumaki n and restore its former glory as a sealing n.¡¯

 Chapter 25 Bamboo Grove

    Chapter 25 Bamboo Grove


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    "Little piggy, be good, open the door, if you don''t, I won''t."


    Naruto strolled leisurely through the forest with his hands behind his back, humming a nursery rhyme, his eyes scanning everywhere for the missing cat.


    A cat had run away from Mrs. Yamanaka''s flower shop, so she registered the mission at Hokage Tower and paid five thousand ryo for a D-Rank mission.


    Since all the other teams were out on missions with their Jonin Instructors during this period and only Team 7 was idle, so this mission naturally fell on the head of the unlucky Naruto.


    Who made him act on his own and risk his life with Team 7 to hunt down Zabuza and Haku? Although they seeded, it also made Kakashi furious.


    As punishment, Naruto had toplete twenty D-Rank missions alone.


    "Little cat,e out and go home with uncle."


    "Ino? Mrs. Yamanaka?"


    After shouting a series of things that might catch the cat''s attention, Naruto still didn''t hear any movement. In the end, he could only lie down on a bench by the road in frustration.


    "Naruto? What are you doing sleeping here?"


    Hearing a familiar voice, Naruto raised his head, and what came into view was a head of golden hair. Ino stood with her hands on her hips, leaning forward slightly to look at Naruto.


    "Ino?" Naruto didn''t bother to get up, "When did you return to the vige?"


    "This afternoon. After the mission is over, Asuma-sensei gave us two days off." Ino sat next to Naruto.


    "My mother''s cat is missing."


    "Oh, I know that. I''m the Genin who epted that mission." Naruto said, leaning back on the bench and pointing at himself.


    Under the street light, the two people were not far away from each other and looked at each other casually.


    Naruto was wearing a ck T-shirt and loose brown shorts, with apletely nonchnt look on his face.


    "Hey, you!" Ino grabbed Naruto''s clothes and said angrily, "Since you epted a mission from someone, you need to show some effort!"


    After that, Ino forcefully pushed Naruto to the other side of the bench. But Naruto, still lying down, didn''t care and said nonchntly, "Yes, yes, Ino-sama, you''re the best. So find the cat, and I''ll treat you to barbecue."


    "That''s your mission! Why are you just lying here?" Ino was getting exasperated.


    "It''s my mission, but I can also hire you." Naruto said nonchntly, "The vige never said a Shinobi can''t hire another Shinobi toplete a mission, right?"


    "That''s true, but I have no obligation to help you find the cat!" Ino red at Naruto.


    "Ino, you don''t want Mrs. Yamanaka to be sad, do you?"


    "You!"


    "Stop saying useless stuff, Ino. If we find the cat, I''ll treat you to barbecue. Besides, for you to be out thiste, you must be looking for the cat, right?"


    After hearing this, even though she was still unhappy, Ino had topromise.


    Holding back her anger, she stood up and walked to Naruto, leaning down to look at Naruto''s face with a displeased look and said, "Get up and look for it with me! Hurry!"


    "Yes, yes." Naruto yawned as Ino forcefully dragged him up, pulling him along by the hand.


    "Honestly! How can you be like this?" Ino grumbled as she tugged Naruto forward, continuouslyining.


    "Bastard! If you take on a mission, do it properly! Who are you showing thiszy attitude to? Don''t you want to get home early¡­"


    "It doesn''t matter whether I go home or not." Naruto suddenly said, "I was nning to sleep on the bench all night."


    "Stop saying things like that and start looking properly!" Ino paused for a moment, but continued dragging Naruto forward.


    "Ino, I think I heard something over there." After listening carefully in the forest for a while, Naruto pointed in a direction and said.


    "Got it, got it!" Ino said impatiently.


    In the moonlight, Ino pushed Naruto aside and walked forward, but she tripped and was about to fall forward.


    Just as she was about to regain her bnce, Naruto grabbed her.


    "What are you doing?" Naruto asked, tilting his head in confusion.


    "Me? Can''t you see that I tripped?" Ino replied irritably.


    "Oh, then I''ll let go." Naruto pretended to release her hand, causing Ino''s pupils to shrink in panic.


    "Naruto!!"


    Ino screamed as she desperately grabbed onto whatever she could. Naruto wanted to grab her again, but Ino grabbed at his clothes at this moment.


    "Shit." Naruto was caught off guard and cursed in surprise.


    However, it was toote. Naruto fell in the direction where Ino fell, and with a ripping sound, his clothes were torn.


    "Ouch!" Ino opened her eyes to find Naruto on top of her.


    Their lips weren''t so precisely aligned, but Naruto''s clothes had been torn by her and his head was resting near her neck.


    ¡®That spot! This is bad!¡¯ Ino felt the warmthing from her neck and her face flushed instantly.


    "Naruto! Get off me!" Ino shouted with a red face.


    "Stop pulling my clothes!" Naruto yelled, then screamed again, "Stop pulling! Your hands!"


    After a chaotic struggle, Ino got up from the ground, wiping the moisture from her lips, and said, "What did you do!"


    "I didn''t do anything, don''t talk nonsense Ino!" Naruto jumped up, covering his tattered clothes.


    "How am I supposed to go home like this?"


    Ino''s anger was almost visible to the naked eye, and she clenched her fists tightly. Just as she was about to teach Naruto a lesson, a meowing sound was heard.


    A pure white cat walked gracefully out of the bamboo grove, passing by the quarreling pair, giving them a nce.


    Under arge green tree outside the Yamanaka flower shop, Ino pulled out a white shirt from behind her and handed it to Naruto, saying reluctantly, "Here, you are not allowed to do weird things with my clothes!"


    "Huh?" Naruto pouted and said, "Why would I do that? Besides, you were the one who tore my clothes first. Apologize sincerely, damn it!"


    "How would I know if you would!" Ino argued. As it was alreadyte at night, her voice softened, "Anyway, I''m sorry."


    Hearing the usually strong-willed Ino apologize, Naruto was taken aback and didn''t know how to react.


    "Well, since you''ve apologized, I''ll forgive you." Naruto scratched his head and said, "It was partly my fault too. How about I treat you to barbecue?"


    Ino looked up and stared at Naruto for a long time withplicated eyes, then asked, "You really want to treat me to a barbecue?"


    "Yeah." Naruto nodded.


    ¡°Barbecue is expensive.¡±


    "I''ve saved up some money from the missions I''ve done recently. Anyway," Naruto said, "you don''t have to worry about this."


    "Alright then." Ino nodded and said, "Since you sincerely invite me, I will mercifully agree to your invitation."


    "But I''m also rich, so I''ll be the one treating you, idiot."

 Chapter 26 Brocade Clothes

    Chapter 26 Brocade Clothes


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    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">Looking at Ino turning and walking into the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Naruto, from a distance, tilted his head and thought to himself, ¡®I really had too much money to spend. She didn''t misunderstand anything, did she?¡¯


    Naruto shook his head and watched the brightly lit Yamanaka Flower Shop for a while before turning and leaving. A barbecue meal was nothing to him now.


    A drop in the bucket? Not even that, probably.


    The system had transferred all the savings from years of illegal transactions of Gato''s shippingpany, amounting to approximately 800 billion ryo.


    Even Naruto was dumbfounded when he first saw such a long string of zeros. He had been poor before crossing over, but after crossing over and relying on the system, he became incredibly wealthy.


    Unfortunately, wealth that couldn''t be unted was like wearing brocade clothing at night, which was somewhat frustrating to him. For now, he could only show off a bit with a barbecue meal.


    Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    Ino handed the cat back to a middle-aged woman dressed like a nobledy. Yamanaka Rino was wearing an emerald green dress, with an elegant red headband essory on her head.


    At this moment, she was holding the cat with one hand, gently stroking the soft white fur of the cat with the other, and asked, "Ino, that boy is Naruto, right?"


    "Yeah." Ino replied, trying to cover up but eventually nodded, "I just happened to run into him. He is the one who took the mission to find the cat."


    "I see." Rino nodded and said calmly, "I don''t object to you falling in love, but..."


    Having said that, Rino lowered her eyebrows and slowly looked at her daughter, "Naruto is different from the others. Mom doesn''t want you to end up heartbroken because you fell in love with the wrong person."


    "Mom, what are you talking about?!" Ino said in a panic, "You misunderstood, there''s no way I would like that annoying guy Naruto!"


    "Ino." Rino looked at her daughter gently and said, "The family crest of the Yamanaka n is the purple lespedeza flower. Do you still remember its meaning?"


    "Healthy growth, positivity." Ino was a little at a loss for words, "Positive love."


    "Mom is just giving you some advice." Rino turned and went upstairs, leaving behind a sentence, "Rest early, Ino."


    "Okay, Mom."


    After washing up, Inoy on her bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. The events of the evening and her mother''s words echoed in her mind.


    If her mother hadn''t mentioned it, she wouldn''t have thought in that direction at all. It was Naruto, after all. There was no way she could like that guy.


    Always pranking andzy, although it was unclear why Naruto had recently improved so quickly, she still dislike his appearance.


    The two had never gotten along since they were kids.


    But¡­


    Ino covered her eyes with her hands, light seeping through the gaps between her fingers. She couldn''t help but squint her eyes, and couldn''t help but recall the scene in the bamboo forest.


    The back of her neck felt faintly hot, causing Ino to feel a burst of irritation. The heart of a young girl instantly became as tangled as the green vines climbing the courtyard walls.


    Ichiraku Ramen.


    The half-warm curtain at the entrance was lifted. Teuchi nced at the visitor with his small eyes and then tossed a piece of ramen into the pot.


    "The usual, right? Naruto."


    "Yes." Naruto hesitated for a moment, but still didn''t say the words ¡®Give me the most expensive one¡¯. Those words were stuck in his throat.


    Momentster, steaming hot ramen was ced in front of Naruto.


    "The Chunin Exams areing up soon, right?" Teuchi, standing at the counter, asked with a smile, his small eyes squinting.


    "Really?" Naruto was slightly stunned.


    "Well, recently the teachers from the Academy whoe here for ramen have been talking about it a lot. Hearing it often enough, I naturally got to know about it." Teuchi said.


    "Naruto, you would participate in the Chunin Exams too, right? Do your best!" As he said this, Teuchi handed over some tempura.


    "On the house. Good luck, kid!"


    Looking at Teuchi''s sincere smile, Naruto couldn''t help but smile and nodded in response.


    "I certainly will!"


    The time between the Chunin Exams and the Genin graduation seemed to be particrly close, but the Chunin Exam was mostly just a formality.


    Generally, any Genin who has reached the required qualifications and is still alive can be a Chunin. Ultimately, the number of missions aplished could add points in the Chunin Exams.


    For the new generation of Genin Teams like Naruto''s, who were taking the Chunin Exams before having enough qualifications, it will be more difficult to be a Chunin.


    At the same time, Naruto also understood that his participation in this Chunin Exams was just for show. The three great ns in the vige, Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka, along with the Hyuga n, dominated this event.


    What chance did he, a Jinchuriki and a neglected member of the Uzumaki n, have?


    The identification of Chunin was not only based on the opinions of Jonin, but also depended on the attitudes of the Land of Fire¡¯s nobles. This was a bit like an unspoken rule.


    The Nara n had always been a pir of Konoha and staunch supporters of the Sandaime Hokage. At the same time, the Nara n had deep ties with many nobles of the Land of Fire.


    After all, as a major n known for deer farming, their deer antler medicinal business spanned the entire Land of Fire. How could their influence be confined to the Konoha Vige?


    If nothing unexpected happens, it is a foregone conclusion that Shikamaru will be promoted to Chunin.


    After returning home, Naruto immersed himself in the brand-new bathtub he had just purchased while thinking about the uing Chunin Exams.


    There is no doubt that this major event in the early stage of the series will definitely trigger the system''s options.


    In the original work, Naruto charged forward with hot-blooded enthusiasm, but in the end, after the Chunin Exams, he got nothing except a body covered in injuries.


    Since he knew that it was impossible to obtain the Chunin title, there was no need to waste his effort on thepetition. What Naruto should consider was how to maximize his benefits.


    The Chunin Exams were like a truth-revealing mirror, exposing all the secrets Konoha Vige desperately tried to hide under broad daylight.


    The ve branch of the Hyuga n, the bloody massacre of the Uchiha n, the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki¡­


    Truth will eventuallye to light, and all the filth will eventually be exposed to the public.


    Naruto thought about it and initially considered leaving the vige during this opportunity. However, his identity as a Jinchuriki was too conspicuous, and it would be impossible for him to escape the vige as easily as Sasuke.


    Besides, even with the Rinnegan, Nagato still couldn''t establish Amegakure to be strong enough to challenge the Five Great Nations.


    Could he do it alone?


    The only person capable of single-handedly challenging the whole Shinobi World is the dancing master, Uchiha Madara. A Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki like him should just stay in Konoha and n slowly.


    Future travels would have to be under the guise of missions, which was a bit frustrating for him.


    But there are benefits, after all, he is not short of money. It would be great if he could establish contact with the exchange office, as he could have others do what he couldn''t conveniently do.


    If he wanted to revive the Uzumaki n, aside from gathering the n members scattered around the Shinobi World, the only thing he can do is to spread his seeds as soon as possible.

 Chapter 27 Hinata

    Chapter 27 Hinata


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    The next day.


    Naruto¡¯s days continued to be filled with numerous D-Rank missions. Sakura listened to Naruto''s advice and discussed with Kakashi how to start her training path as a Medical-nin.


    After discussing this matter, Kakashi found a teacher for Sakura in the medical department, Yuu.


    Yuu is a Medical-nin from the golden generation of Konoha, from the same period as Kakashi. Although the survival rate of Medical-nin was very high during that period, he is still one of the best Medical-nin to have survived until now.


    Although not as famous as Tsunade, given the current situation, Kakashi couldn''t possibly know where Tsunade was. As a Jonin, Yuu is more than capable of teaching Sakura.


    "Kakashi, is this your student?" Yuu, dressed in a Medical-nin uniform, asked.


    Sakura looked at Yuu nervously. Yuu was a man in his early twenties, about the same age as Kakashi. He was wearing a white Medical-nin uniform and arge Medical-nin hat on his head.


    There was a big red cross printed on his chest, and there were several Medical-nin in the same uniform beside him who nced at Kakashi.


    "Nice to meet you. Please take care of me." Sakura bowed timidly and said, "My name is Haruno Sakura. Please guide me."


    "Yo, Kakashi, your student is much more polite than you," Another Medical-nin, Kataka, stepped forward and said jokingly.


    "Shut up." Kakashi replied, disying his ssic dead fish eye.


    "I heard that Kakashi came with his disciples?" Another voice echoed in the medical department, and a Medical-nin named Sousui, wearing a white square cap, walked out.


    "She''s a cute girl, that''s rare." The square-faced Medical-nin, Oton, also walked out of the consulting room.


    "Is she joining our medical department?" One of the two Medical-nin, who were carrying a stretcher, stopped and turned to ask.


    "That would be great." Hyakusa, the Medical-nin at the other end of the stretcher, said with a smile, " We''ve been short-handedtely, so this is a great help."


    "Eh?" Sakura''s face turned red. She didn''t expect so many people toe forward and speak to her. She looked helplessly at Kakashi.


    Kakashi reassured Sakura and said, "Don''t be afraid, those guys are always like this. I''ve been injured so many times that I''ve gradually be familiar with these guys in the medical department."


    Sakura nodded and began her training journey with the medical department in a daze.


    However, Kakashi really doesn''t have that much time to take care of three students. Sakura was left to the medical department, while Naruto is still doing a D-Rank missions, so there is no need to consider him for the time being.


    The only person he is currently focusing on training is Sasuke. Perhaps it¡¯s because they both possessed the Sharingan, but Kakashi paid considerable attention to Sasuke.


    After all, there weren''t many surviving Sharingan users. Obito''s eye was functioning in Kakashi''s body, allowing him to use it effectively.


    At present, the only one who can be called Kakashi¡¯s most beloved disciple is Sasuke.


    While almost all members of Team 7 were busy training, a certain Konoha¡¯s Shinobi who had slipped through the cracks of the Will of Fire education was napping on a hammock in the forest.


    Since returning from the Land of Waves¡¯ mission, Naruto had to pay the price for his recklessness, requiring him toplete twenty D-Rank missions alone before rejoining Team 7.


    So far, including the cat-finding mission for Mrs. Yamanaka in the bamboo forestst night, he hadpleted a total of five D-Rank missions.


    After that, he decided to take it easy.


    ¡°How long will it take toplete twenty missions? Why not just pay someone to do it?" Naruto muttered to himself as hey in the hammock, gazing at the sky through the gaps in the leaves.


    And that''s exactly what he did. After taking a D-Rank trash-collecting mission in the Hokage Tower, he spends 50,000 ryo to hire a student from the Academy to do it for him.


    "Well, poor Academy¡¯s students with part-time jobs, I am really a great phnthropist of Konoha today." Naruto stretched and continued to lounge in his hammock.


    He haspletely given up now and doesn''t care that the Konoha¡¯s higher-ups know the fact that he can use Lava Release. It was impossible to keep it a secret, and Kakashi must have reported it long ago.


    Of course, he also couldn''t be bothered to hide the fact that he was rich.


    He didn''t care if there were any Anbu watching him, he just let himself go and lived freely. The vige couldn''t do anything about him, and all of Gato''s wealth was stored in the system warehouse.


    Even if the vige wanted to investigate, there was no way to start. After all, making a small fortune from missions outside the vige wasmon in Konoha.


    Otherwise, with the meager ie from mission rewards, except for the elite Shinobi of Konoha, those low-level Shinobi could not rely on that money to support their families.


    ¡®I have to say, taking it easy is reallyfortable.¡¯


    Naruto squinted his eyes slightly, and after an unknown amount of time, he slowly opened his eyes and vaguely saw a figure standing in front of him.


    "Hinata? When did you get here?" Naruto was startled and coughed violently.


    The girl in a light purple hooded coat was also startled by Naruto''s reaction. She looked at him at a loss before averting her gaze.


    [Kyubi''s approval 2.3%]


    The mechanical synthesized voice echoed in Naruto''s mind, and he was momentarily stunned, ¡®I hadn''t done anything this time, so why has the favorability progress increased?¡¯


    "I returned to the vige yesterday. Kurenai-sensei said we wouldn''t be taking any missions during this period and told us to train and prepare for the Chunin Exams." Hinata said with a red face and her eyes tightly closed.


    Her small body trembled slightly, and she seemed very nervous.


    "Oh, so you''re free now?" Naruto asked with a smile.


    "Yeah." Hinata nodded.


    "By the way, Hinata, how did you find me?" Naruto scratched his head and asked, "This ce is quite remote."


    "Byakugan." Hinata replied, looking a little embarrassed as she lowered her head.


    "Oh, the Byakugan?" Naruto leaned in closer, curious, and clicked his tongue in wonder.


    "N-Naruto-kun." Hinata leaned back slightly and closed her eyes to avoid Naruto''s gaze, "There''s nothing special to see."


    "It¡¯s quite pretty."


    "Eh?" Hinata was surprised and opened her eyes wide in shock, looking at Naruto, "Naruto-kun, what did you say?"


    "Upon closer look, the Byakugan is actually quite pretty," Naruto said with a smile.


    "Yeah." Warmth spread through Hinata''s heart. In truth, the other vigers in Konoha didn''t have a good attitude toward the Hyuga n and saw the Byakugan as an ominous symbol.


    Even within the Hyuga n, there were significant, unresolvable conflicts because of these eyes. The Caged Bird, that greenish tattoo¡­


    "Hinata, wait for me here." Naruto suddenly ran off.


    Hinata stood there in a daze, listening to Naruto''s words, and for a moment, she didn''t know what to do.


    About half an hourter, Naruto finally came back with arge bundle on his back, which was bulging and seemed to contain a lot of things.


    "Come on! I''ll take you somewhere!" Naruto said, grabbing Hinata''s hand and leading her away without further exnation.


    ¡®Naruto-kun is holding my hand?¡¯


    Hinata suddenly felt dizzy and her face turned red again. She didn''t even bother to ask where they were going, simply letting Naruto lead her forward.

 Chapter 28 The Telepathy Technique

    Chapter 28 The Telepathy Technique


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    Traversing the lush forest of Konoha, the underbrush retreated as they moved forward, the forest breeze gently brushing against their faces. Hinata felt light as a feather until the dappled sunlight vanished.


    After a bend in the forest, the view ahead suddenly opened up. The sound of rushing water surrounded them, creating a nket of white noise.


    A massive waterfall came into view, with a fast-flowing stream cascading down.


    "Where is this?" Hinata was slightly taken aback.


    "The riverside " Naruto replied as he let go of Hinata''s hand. Then, he carried therge bundle alone to a shaded spot near the river.


    The midday forest sunlight was harsh, the cicadas'' cries blending with the sound of the waterfall, creating a noisy symphony. But Hinata''s heart was beating vigorously in rhythm with the waterfall.


    Standing under the tree shade, Hinata watched Naruto busy himself, unwrapping the bundle and spreading a long cloth on the grass.


    In no time, Naruto had set up a basic camping site. A tablecloth, fire pit, grill, some seasonings, and even a pot.


    Hinata was dazzled by the sight and couldn''t help but cover her mouth in surprise.


    "Hinata!" Naruto called out to her.


    Thetter quickly responded and walked over in a daze. Curiously looking at the camping utensils on the ground, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of wonder. After all, she had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth.


    As the eldest princess of Hyuga n, Hinata''s biggest challenge had been failing to surpass her father, who was an insurmountable mountain for her.


    Though saying she had never touched a chore might be an exaggeration, Hinata was indeed a genuine princess. Unlike Naruto, who had grown up rough, her clothes were always clean.


    Standing there quietly, unstained by the elements.


    "Naruto-kun, what are we doing?" Hinata asked.


    "Pic barbecue." Naruto smiled at her and said, "The stream below this waterfall flows fast, so the fish meat is very delicious."


    Hinata nodded, a bit nervous as she said, "My father and others love sashimi, but I don''t like it, so I rarely eat fish."


    "Sashimi?" Naruto squinted his eyes, momentarily stunned, "I only know how to grill fish and cook fresh fish soup."


    "That''s enough. I... I have never eaten the grilled fish made by Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed deeply, waving her hands in panic, afraid Naruto would misunderstand, "No. I mean¡­"


    "It''s okay." Naruto walked up to Hinata and said, "No need to exin so much. Come on, I''ll take you fishing."


    "Hinata, have you ever fished before?"


    "No." Hinata blushed slightly and lowered her head, "In the past, I would be taken away whenever I got close to the river. I''ve only seen others fishing from a distance."


    ¡®That makes sense. The Hyuga n has always regarded themselves as the nobles of Konoha. Fishing is a recreational activity formon folk, and the Hyuga n will not allow Hinata to do such a meaningless thing.¡¯


    "It''s okay, I''ll teach you." Naruto said, grabbing Hinata''s hand again and leading her to a nearby grove.


    In the distance, an Anbu and a Hyuga n¡¯s Shinobi were standing on the treetops not far from each other, looking at each other.


    Hyuga Shinobi: "Where is that boy taking the youngdy?"


    Anbu Shinobi: "Into the grove, I guess."


    ¡°¡­¡±


    "Why don''t you use your Byakugan to check?" The Anbu Shinobi suggested.


    "It would disturb the youngdy." The Hyuga Shinobi said with a straight face, "Why don''t you go see for yourself?"


    "It would be bad if I¡¯m discovered." The Anbu Shinobiughed and said, "I only get that little sry a month, why would I take the risk?"


    "What if the youngdy is in danger? What if that boy..." The Hyuga Shinobi hesitated to speak.


    "That''s your problem. If something goes wrong, I might lose my job." The Anbu Shinobi said shamelessly, "But if I''m caught, the chances of losing my job are even higher. It''s better to just watch from a distance."


    "You!" The Hyuga Shinobi huffed, "Isn''t it the responsibility of you, the Anbu, to restrain the Jinchuriki?"


    "Not really." The Anbu Shinobi saidzily, " As long as the Jinchuriki doesn''t leave the vige, I don''t have to worry about anything else."


    "Thanks to the Jinchuriki, I have this easy job. It''s much better than fighting outside. Why do something stupid?"


    ¡°It¡¯s totally unreasonable!¡±


    "Well, Shinobi from big ns like you retire at the age of thirty. How would you understand the hardships of life?" The Anbu Shinobi said with a smile.


    "Forget it. If I don''t die on a mission and can safely retire, that''s a blessing."


    "Oh, right! It''s time for me to clock out."


    Having said that, the Anbu Shinobi actually left instantly.


    The Hyuga Shinobi was dumbfounded, ¡®Who clocks out in broad daylight?¡¯


    About fifteen minutester, Naruto emerged from the small groove with Hinata. At this time, Naruto was already holding a long wooden pole in his hand.


    After choosing for a while, Naruto finally used a kunai to craft a wooden rod. The pole made of bamboo is easy to break, and the fish in this stream are rtivelyrge.


    They reached the riverbank, and Hinata watched as Naruto skillfully took out a fishing line and hook from his pocket. After assembling it, he handed it to her.


    "Me? I-I can''t." Hinata said nervously, taking a small step back.


    "It''s okay, I''ll help you." Naruto said, gently cing the rod in her hands and then positioning himself behind her.


    At this moment, Naruto practically hugged Hinata from behind. Hinata obviously realized this and her face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple.


    Hinata''s cheeks were burning, and she felt like she was about to faint. She¡¯s unable to tell which way was up. Luckily, Naruto had recently bought a new washing machine and no longer smelled of sweat.


    Hinata didn''t think too much about it, as her mind was goingpletely nk.


    "Naruto-kun, there''s no bait."


    "No need for bait." Naruto waved his hand and said, "Just cast the hook out like this. The fish here bite without bait."


    As he spoke, Naruto held Hinata''s hand and skillfully casted the line and hook.


    In the distance, the Hyuga Shinobi was grinding his mrs.


    "Why are you pretending? If you can catch fish without bait, I''ll pluck out my own eyes!"


    [Kyubi¡¯s approval 4.5%]


    [Kyubi¡¯s approval 6.7%]


    Suddenly, the panel popped up again with a ding.


    [Option 1: Tell Hinata that you always dislike gentle girls, because gentle girls are gentle to everyone. She just like heroes, just like all princesses like heroes who are always pure, and you are not a hero. Reward: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.]


    [Option 2: Tell Hinata that she is already wonderful and will surely be a gentle wife in the future. Reward: Telepathy Technique (Creates apletely nonexistent avatar with unquestionable abilities at the moment of creation, and what it says will be heard by people within a certain range)]


    Naruto''s gaze skimmed over the first option without much reaction, then instinctively ruled it out. When he saw the reward for the second option, he paused slightly.


    ¡®Telepathy? From the description, it¡¯s like Yamanaka n''s Mind Body Transmission Technique, but with the ability to hide the voice''s recognition factor. It¡¯s essentially anonymous loudspeaker within a certain range.¡¯

 Chapter 29 The Shinobi God’s Diary

    Chapter 29 The Shinobi God¡¯s Diary


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    Naruto actually didn''t have much of a choice, after all, the first option is clearly uneptable. No matter what his true thoughts were, Hinata''s presence in his life was a blessing.


    No one dislikes a gentle girl, and Naruto was no exception.


    He wasn''t the oblivious Naruto from the original work, he was a normal person.


    ¡®If there is a princess who likes me and I don¡¯t cherish her well, I will probably be struck by lightning, right?¡¯


    Even though he could roughly sense that Hinata''s ability to get close to him was likely due to the vige and the Hyuga n''s tacit approval, he still epted it. Whether it was to continue the Uzumaki n¡¯s bloodline or to ensure the Jinchuriki had sessors, it didn''t matter.


    He is not the real Naruto after all. He¡¯s a soul from another dimension.


    For him, the result wasn''t as important as the process.


    By the riverbank.


    Hinata held the fishing rod nervously. Suddenly, her hand shook, and a surge of nervous excitement shot through her, making her stutter.


    "Naruto-kun! A... a fish! A fish is hooked!"


    The full-level fishing mastery took effect, making the fish bite even on an empty hook.


    Naruto had expected this oue, so he calmly held Hinata''s hand and slowly guided her to y with the fish. Hinata found all these new things fascinating, and was also extremely nervous when being hugged by Naruto.


    "Once the fish is exhausted, let''s pull it up together!" Naruto suggested.


    "Okay!" Hinata responded, her breath quickening, her face flushed.


    In the distance, the Hyuga Shinobi¡¯s face turned pale. Seeing that a fish really seemed to be on the line, a thousand curses ran through his mind.


    "Impossible! How can the fish be hooked when there''s no bait?" The Hyuga Shinobi looked as if he''d seen a ghost. Unlike the love-struck Hinata, he couldn''t overlook any detail.


    He just wanted to know how Naruto managed to catch a fish on an empty hook. He couldn''t even pay attention to his owndy being almost embraced by Naruto, as he just stared nkly at the river.


    The fish was really hooked and bit the hook tightly.


    "Lift it up slowly like this." Naruto held Hinata''s hand and taught her seriously, "Then pull hard!"


    With a ssh, a big fish was pulled out of the water, creating a semi-arc of water droplets in the air. The shimmering surface of the water reflected in Hinata''s pupils.


    "I caught it?" Hinata was stunned for a moment, then asked with a blushing face, her voice filled with excitement and a little nervousness.


    Naruto knew that Hinata had alwayscked confidence and had a very gentle personality. However, deep down in her heart, she desperately wanted her abilities to be recognized, rather than being seen as a Hyuga princess.


    "Yes!" Naruto, taking advantage of the height difference, patted Hinata''s head and said, "Hinata, you''re already amazing. You''ll definitely be a gentle wife in the future."


    [Reward sessfully granted. Please create an avatar character?]


    [--- (Any identity, it will be automatically rationalized after creation, and you will speak under this identity)]


    Hinata''s face instantly turned crimson at Naruto''s sudden words, making her stutter even more.


    "W-w-wife?!!!"


    "No, I haven''t... Such a thing is too...!"


    At this moment, Naruto''s mind was entirely on the avatar character.


    ¡®Great!¡¯


    ¡®Any identity¡­ If this is the case, then¡­¡¯


    [---Shinobi God--- Created sessfully. The God persona has been sessfully created. The host can speak once a day through this persona.]


    Naruto couldn''t help but cough in his heart, ¡®It really was any identity.¡¯


    ¡®Although this thing is useless, it can allow people within a certain range to receive the avatar¡¯s words. Well, isn''t that just like the Yamanaka n''s Ninjutsu?¡¯


    ¡®Never mind.¡¯


    ¡®Will I be able to speak as the Shinobi God in the future? Wuhu! Awesome!¡¯


    The shy Hinata mustered up the courage to look at Naruto, and seeing the joy on his face as he gazed affectionately at her, her face turned even redder.


    "N-Naruto-kun¡­" Overwhelmed, Hinata''s legs went weak, and she fell backward.


    "Hinata!" Naruto was startled and quickly caught her, but no matter how he called, Hinata didn''t respond.


    "Why did she pass out just like that?" Naruto muttered, touching her forehead and checking her breathing. Only then did he feel relieved enough to ce her gently on the soft grass.


    Seeing that Hinata wouldn''t wake up for a while, he decided to process the big fish they had caught first. He gathered some wood nearby to make a barbecue rack and finally sat down to open the system panel.


    [---Shinobi God---(Can speak today)]


    ¡®What should I say?¡¯


    Naruto fell into deep thought, ¡®Since it was a broadcasting tool, and it also carried the title of the Shinobi God, but it could only speak once a day¡­¡¯


    ¡®Why not just make a diary of the Shinobi God!¡¯


    ¡®Well, let¡¯s just do it.¡¯


    Naruto typed the following string of words into the input box.


    [August 15th, sunny. Shinobi God''s Diary. Shinobi nowadays are all idiots. If there are no long-legged shrine maidens in short skirts performing sacrificial dances, I might as well destroy this world! And there are too many Sharingan on that guy Shimura Danzo. So disgusting."


    [Ding! The Shinobi God was created sessfully, broadcasting range fifty square kilometers.]


    At this moment, Hiruzen, who was working on a document, suddenly trembled and scribbled the entire document. The words of the Shinobi God suddenly appeared in his mind, and the content almost made him spit out blood.


    When he turned around to look at the guards beside him and found that Yamashiro Aoba and Namiashi Raido both had strange expressions, he knew something was wrong.


    "Hokage-sama!" They walked to the front of Sarutobi Hiruzen''s desk in unison and looked at him nervously.


    The situation had exceeded his expectations. When words could appear out of thin air in their mind, Aoba and Raido, as Hokage¡¯s guards, had already realized the seriousness of the matter.


    As for the content of that diary entry, they are so simr that they dare not even think about it.


    "Emergency situation! Summon the Konoha¡¯s council immediately. But first, call Yamanaka Inoichi." Hiruzen gave the order with a stern face.


    "Yes!" Aoba and Raido epted the order and left immediately.


    The Yamanaka n is one of the few ns in Konoha skilled in mental techniques. The n leader, Yamanaka Inoichi, is particrly skilled in techniques like Mind Reading Technique, capable of extracting information even if the enemy didn''t speak.


    Meanwhile, Danzo, who was resting with his eye closed, was frightened by this sudden text and turned pale. However, he quickly calmed down.


    He knew that there must be someone behind this, and he had to find that person!


    "Come here!" Danzo called out.


    Bang bang bang¡­


    Five masked Root Shinobi suddenly appeared and half-knelt in front of Danzo.


    "Go find out what''s going on!"


    "Yes, Danzo-sama!"


    On the other side, the ¡®Shinobi God¡¯ himself was teaching Hinata how to grill fish, feeling no guilt at all and enjoying this sweet moment.


    "See, Hinata, flipping the fish like this will make it more tender."


    "Tasty."

 Chapter 30 I’m So Happy!

    Chapter 30 I¡¯m So Happy!


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    "Question: If a teammate suddenly copses during a mission and you ask if they''re okay, and they respond with ''I''m fine¡¯, what does it mean?"


    "It means¡­" Hinata held a piece of fish, frowning as she fell into deep thought. The orange sunset shining on her made her look even more adorable.


    The two were sitting on a pic cloth, ying a question-and-answer game. Although the game was a bit childish, for two teenagers who had feelings for each other, it was just perfect.


    Hinata had also received the Shinobi God''s Diary. Naruto told her that he received it too, and brushed off the topic with a few vague sentences, iming he didn''t understand it.


    "It means your teammate needs medical attention." Hinata answered softly.


    "Wrong." Naruto gently tapped Hinata''s head and said seriously, "This means that your teammate''s airway is unobstructed and not blocked by blood."


    "So that''s how it is." Hinata nodded confusedly, thinking that Naruto was imparting knowledge seriously.


    "So what should you ask them at this moment?"


    "Where does it hurt?"


    "No, you should ask them what is one thousand minus seven."


    "A-choo! A-choo! A-choo!"


    "Kiba, what''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing." Hinata''s teammate, Kiba stopped and sniffled, then said, "Maybe I inhaled some pollen."


    Kiba''s sister, Inuzuka Hana, walked over and squatted in front of Akamaru to check his injured leg. As the only veterinarian in the medical department, Akamaru''s minor injury was no big deal for her.


    "Sis, those things that appeared in our minds just now... I''m a bit concerned." Kiba said worriedly.


    "Kiba, this matter involves Danzo-sama, a high-ranking figure in Konoha. It''s best if we don''t talk too much about it." Hana, being a mature woman, was naturally more stable than Kiba.


    She and Itachi graduated from the same batch. Relying on the resources of the Inuzuka n, she is now a Chunin in Konoha.


    Having spent so many years in the medical department, she had heard a lot of secrets, but in order to avoid trouble, she had always kept quiet about them.


    For example, she knew about the time when the Konoha Corpse Disposal Unit was blocked by Root¡¯s Shinobi outside the Uchiha n''spound, and then how the Uchiha n''s bodies were cremated overnight by Root.


    Then, there are also some unsavory rumors, such as the im that the Hokage secretly allowed Root to conduct Kekkei Genkai experiments on humans.


    There are many such rumors and secrets. The true and false interwoven, making it hard to discern reality.


    Hana ''t want her only brother to get involved in these troublesome matters, nor did she want Kiba to do something foolish and attract Root''s attention.


    ¡®That organization was notorious for its hical actions. If Kiba got dragged into it, his life would be ruined.¡¯


    Kiba had no idea of ??his sister''s good intentions, and due to the pressure of his age, he could only suppress his curiosity and squat beside his beloved dog, Akamaru.


    "Sis, how''s Akamaru?"


    "He''ll be fine."


    ¡­


    Simr scenes were happening all over Konoha. In the training ground, Kakashi looked at the gloomy-faced Sasuke, not knowing what to say.


    It was gettingte, and night was falling.


    Kakashi could only see the dark outline of Sasuke standing in the training ground, his heart suddenly pounding with anxiety, sensing something was wrong.


    "Sasuke, don''t fall for it. This might be an enemy''s Genjutsu."


    Sasuke didn''t respond. He just stood there without moving, his whole body exuding a chilling aura of resentment. He raised his head and looked at Kakashi, and asked through gritted teeth.


    "Why does Danzo have my n''s eyes on him?"


    Kakashi was also stunned. He knew Danzo was unscrupulous, but he didn''t expect him to be such a beast.


    ¡®Too many eyes? Could he have transnted eyes on other parts of his body as well?¡¯


    Thinking of this, Kakashi felt a chill in his heart. But despite this, without absolute proof, he couldn''t exin such matters to Sasuke.


    Pulling out one rotten radish could bring up more dirt. Danzo wasn''t clean, but he wasn''t the only one. From Kakashi''s understanding of Danzo, things were never that simple.


    "Sasuke, calm down."


    "Kakashi, how can I calm down?"


    Sizzle~!


    The prepared fish slid into the frying pan, crackling and popping by the fire, its aroma wafting through the night air.


    "Naruto-kun, you brought a pan?" Hinata asked, slightly embarrassed.


    "Of course I bring it. For a pic, you need to be fully equipped!" Naruto pointed at the pile of utensils and said, "A frying pan is a must. I''ll show you something niceter."


    "What is it?" Hinata was stunned for a moment and her face turned red again.


    Naruto nced at Hinata, seeing her face flushed from the fire, and smiled mysteriously as he flipped the fish in the pan.


    "You''ll find out soon."


    The Hokage Tower was brightly lit at this time, and many Shinobi were rushing in and out of the entrance, with nervousness and anxiety on their faces.


    At the higher-ups meeting, Hiruzen and his old peers, including Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, all stared gloomily at Danzo, who was seated at the table.


    "Danzo, do you have anything to say?" Koharu asked sternly.


    "I have nothing to say." Danzo said with his hands crossed, "Shouldn''t the focus of this matter be the Ninjutsu that can appear in everyone''s mind?"


    "If the person behind this can say whatever they want, the vige will be in a passive position. Today, it''s me being targeted. Tomorrow, it could be anyone."


    "I suggest we take a wait-and-see attitude towards this matter and let our people investigate it." Danzo said in a deep voice.


    After he finished speaking, Koharu, Homura and Hiruzen looked displeased, but they didn''t say anything else or continue to hold him ountable.


    They also knew that it was unrealistic to ask Danzo to prove his innocence on the spot. It was not that it was impossible, but it would be counterproductive.


    After all, if proven true, it would only make things awkward. The vige still needed Danzo, so they couldn''t just dismiss him. Besides, what Danzo said made sense.


    Every higher-ups present had their own secrets, though not as extreme as Danzo''s. If there truly was an all-knowing Shinobi God, the next exposed could be any one of them...


    Bang!


    Several fireworks rose into the night sky, illuminating Hinata''s upturned face, and the beautiful appearance of the gorgeous fireworks exploding was reflected in her eyes.


    Joy spread across Hinata''s face as she gazed at the night sky, feeling an unparalleled sense of happiness. And all of this was thanks to the boy beside her, the one lighting fireworks in the distance.


    Naruto hadpletely forgotten about the Shinobi God''s Diary, not giving it a second thought, let alone the huge disturbance it caused to the vige.


    He trotted over to Hinata and stood beside her. The two of them looked up at the fireworks, and their hearts are filled with happiness.


    At this moment, they couldn¡¯t help but think happily in their hearts.


    ¡®This is great! To have Naruto-kun by my side, I''m so happy!¡¯


    ¡®This is great. I¡¯ve finally spent some money, I''m so happy!¡¯

 Chapter 31 Caged Bird

    Chapter 31 Caged Bird


    "Goodbye, Naruto-kun."


    Hinata stood under the gate of the Hyuga n¡¯spound, reluctantly waving goodbye to Naruto. Her small frame seemed almost fragile.


    Naruto guessed that it might have something to do with the secrets of the Hyuga n¡¯s main family, but he didn''t dwell on it. For him, the present moment was what mattered.


    Hinata, full and warm, wasn''t just a simple paper figure. He could feel the tension and gloom behind her smile, like a girl dancing with shackles on her feet.


    "Goodbye, Hinata-chan." Naruto waved.


    Hinata nodded, took a few steps into the darkness, then turned back to him and said, "Thank you, Naruto-kun. I am very happy today."


    "Me too."


    The next day, before dawn, Naruto woke up, opened the system panel, and started updating the Shinobi God¡¯s Diary. Yesterday''s events were long forgotten, and he felt refreshed.


    "August 16th, the desire to destroy the Shinobi World has grown stronger. Another day without seeing long legs. The Caged Bird of the Hyuga n is the most disgusting ve system I''ve ever seen, turning family members into ves. After a thousand years, shouldn''t the seal have been improved? The original intent to protect the weak branch family has changed, hasn''t it?"


    After posting it, Naruto shook his head, squinted his sleepy eyes, and went back to sleep.


    Over Konoha.


    After a few seconds of silence, screams erupted!


    The entire Konoha vige waspletely shaken by this daily update of the Shinobi God¡¯s Diary. If yesterday''s message made the high-level officials a bit panicked, now they were utterly overwhelmed.


    The bedsidemp in the room was turned on. The meeting of Konoha''s higher-ups ended at two o''clock in the morning. Only three hourster, Inoichi had to get up again.


    "Inoichi, do you really have to go? I''m worried." Sitting on the dimly lit bed, the nobledy, Rino, spoke with a tired look on her face.


    "It''ll be fine." Inoichiforted his wife while putting on his clothes. "Usually, only Shikaku needs to attend higher-ups meetings to represent the Ino-Shika-Cho ns."


    "But you also know that the message that can appear in our minds is really strange. Our Yamanaka n is the only one in the vige who is good at Mind Reading Ninjutsu. If I don''t go, it will only arouse suspicion."


    "Then take care, Inoichi." Rino said softly.


    After a moment of silence, Rino spoke again as she got dressed and got out of bed.


    "Inoichi, are the things the Shinobi God said true?"


    Inoichi didn''t know how to answer, so he could only sigh and answer vaguely.


    "Probably not. How could something like the Shinobi God exist? It''s definitely someone''s doing. The vige will get to the bottom of it and give everyone an exnation."


    "Rino." Inoichi was dressed neatly and prepared to go out. When his hand held the door, he turned around and looked back at his wife and said, "Go keep our daughterpany. Ino must be terrified."


    "Yes, be careful on the way."


    With a bang, the door closed.


    As Inoichi walked on the road, the originally quiet Konoha had already be chaotic. The vigers walked onto the streets, talking about the Shinobi God¡¯s Diary with horror on their faces.


    "Does the Shinobi God really exist? It''s been two days, it doesn''t seem fake." A worried viger said with some fear.


    ¡°Who knows? The vige hasn''t given any exnation yet. But I don''t think it''s fake.¡± The owner of the dango shop said as he stood at the door of his shop, there¡¯s dark circles under his eyes.


    "I couldn''t sleep a wink because of this. How can anyone sleep soundly?"


    "That''s right, we don''t know where Hokage-sama is, and he hasn''t appeared to say anything yet." Another viger said with a sigh.


    "So, do you think what the Shinobi God said is true?" One of the viger asked in a low voice, "About that esteemed person and the Hyuga n..."


    Upon hearing this, the first speaking viger looked terrified and nervously said, "You can eat recklessly, but you can''t speak recklessly. If the Anbu hears you, you''ll be taken away. We shouldn''t discuss the Hyuga n''s matters either. Just keep your thoughts to yourself."


    "Yeah, yeah, we shouldn''t talk about such things." The other viger echoed.


    Inoichi, who was passing by, overheard the vigers'' conversation and his expression grew even heavier. He had heard about the very system of the Hyuga n before, and it was indeed a truly uneptable practice.


    Turning one''s rtives into ves was a deeply taboo topic, so those in Konoha who knew about it instinctively avoided discussing it.


    Over time, most people in Konoha were unaware of this, but those who survived the Third Shinobi World War were well aware of it.


    It was a curse known as the Caged Bird. If the cursed person showed even a hint of disrespect to the group that casts the curse, the caster could punish or even kill them instantly.


    This is the reality of the Hyuga n. Only the firstborn of the main family could remain in the main family, while all other n members became part of the branch family..


    The so-called branch family were essentially ves to the main family, a system that allowed the Hyuga n to maintain their lineage for a thousand years by ensuring absolute loyalty through the Caged Bird.


    Absolute loyalty meant no betrayal, as any traitor would be brain-dead with just a thought from the main family.


    In life-and-death situations, branch family members were forced to protect the main family at all costs. It is precisely because of this that the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai can survive and continue no matter what happens.


    Interestingly, the Hyuga n¡¯s main family under Hiashi had not followed tradition. The eldest daughter did not be the main family¡¯s leader, and the second daughter wasn''t marked as branch family, instead, things were dyed.


    As for why it was dyed, Inoichi didn''t know. He had only heard about it and didn''t care much about the Hyuga n''s secrets.


    His priority now was to capture the self-proimed Shinobi God and restore peace to the vige.


    At least restore the appearance of peace, as what happened beneath the surface was unimportant.


    The atmosphere within the Hyuga n was extremely oppressive. The area inside and outside the n was quieter than ever before, as if it had submerged in suffocating stillness.


    As the morning sunlight entered the courtyard, Neji sat in front of the mirror, calmly gazing at the green Caged Bird Cursed Seal on his forehead.


    "I slept so well!" Naruto, in his bear pajamas, yawned and stretched on his bed.


    The evil Shinobi God himself,cking any grace, scratched his butt andzily began his morning routine. Looking at his bedhead in the mirror, he yawned again, muttering to himself.


    "There are still fourteen D-Rank missions that have not beenpleted. I should go and get a mission today, so that people won''t find out that I have hired a stand-in."

 Chapter 32 God is a Pervert

    Chapter 32 God is a Pervert


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    "Naruto!"


    Just as he was about to enter the Hokage Tower, Naruto was suddenly called out to. Turning around, he saw the new generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.


    The three of them stood outside the Hokage Tower, seemingly waiting for someone.


    Shikamaru leaned against the wall,zily waving at him. He¡¯s dressed in his usual mesh undershirt with his signature dead-fish eyes.


    Ino stood aside with an uneasy look on her face, distracted, while Choji was still the same as usual, holding a bag of potato chips in his arms and crunching the food into his mouth.


    "What are you guys doing here?" Naruto, familiar with the three, didn¡¯t bother with formalities and reached out to grab some snacks from Choji¡¯s bag of potato chips.


    Crunch. Naruto took a bite as Shikamaru, without even ncing at him, looked up at the sky and sighed.


    "Asuma had somethinge upst minute, so we¡¯re just waiting for him here."


    After saying that, Shikamaru asked Naruto, "You know about that thing, right?"


    "Which thing?"


    "That guy who calls himself the Shinobi God. He¡¯s spoken twice now, and the vige is in chaos because of it."


    "Oh, that thing." Naruto scratched his head and said with a bright smile, "I thought it was just someone¡¯s prank!"


    "How can the ability to let the whole vige receive the message be an ordinary prank?" Shikamaruined, holding his head, "Naruto, you¡¯re too dense."


    "But the Shinobi God must be a super pervert. He was talking about things like long legs and shrine maidens in short skirts."


    "No one will believe it anyway, it''s just nonsense." Naruto said dismissively, then looked at Choji.


    Choji raised his eyebrows, bit off a potato chip in one bite, and said naively, "Thest chip is my ninja way."


    "Only someone as clueless as you wouldn¡¯t believe it, Naruto." Shikamaru said, "The stuff about the Hyuga n is true."


    "What stuff?" Naruto asked, pretending not to know.


    "It¡¯s about¡­"


    "Shikamaru, Asuma-sensei ising out!" Choji suddenly shouted.


    "Naruto, let''s talk about it next time. We have to go first!" Shikamaru nced toward the Hokage Tower and saw that Asuma had indeede out.


    So he waved at Naruto and followed after Choji and Ino, who had started walking away.


    Ino didn¡¯t say a word to Naruto the whole time, not even looking at him. Naruto didn¡¯t mind and turned to enter the Hokage Tower once the trio was out of sight.


    The building was in chaos, with Anbu and regr Ch¨±nin carrying various documents and rushing around. asionally, Naruto could hear them nervously discussing the Shinobi God and he could asionally hear words like Hyuga.


    Tilting his head, Naruto went upstairs quietly and familiarly to go to the mission hall to take a D-Rank mission. Kakashi punished him toplete twenty D-Rank missions, and he could not return to Team 7 before that.


    D-Rank missions weren¡¯t particrly difficult. As Naruto climbed the stairs, pondering what today¡¯s mission might be, he suddenly heard someoneing down, swearing loudly.


    "They want me to find out in one day?! Where am I supposed to investigate? That damned Shinobi God, if I get my hands on him, I¡¯ll torture him thoroughly!"


    The scar-faced brute named Morino Ibiki went downstairs with his men from the Torture and Interrogation Force and just passed by Naruto who was going upstairs.


    "Scary." Naruto shivered, more determined than ever to hide his identity as the Shinobi God. There must be no evidence linking him to it.


    He felt a deep-seated fear of the head of the Torture and Interrogation Force, Morino Ibiki. It wasn''t that Ibiki was particrly strong, but this man was a true pervert!


    Standing at nearly 1.8 meters tall and built like a muscr neighbor from a Japanese movie, Ibiki was secretly a masochist. His interrogation techniques not only tortured enemies but also inflicted pain on himself.


    Just the thought of it made Naruto shudder. The image of a burly man with a pained yet pleased expression was so disturbing that it made Naruto want to end it all.


    "This is the mission scroll, please take it." The staff at the mission hall handed the mission scroll to Naruto with a good attitude.


    "Um."


    Naruto walked out of the Hokage Tower and opened the mission scroll. The mission was to pick up trash.


    ¡®Where was there so much trash to pick up in Konoha?¡¯ Struggling for a while, Naruto reluctantly set off to pick up trash. In the sweltering August heat, the scorching sun quickly wore him out.


    He hid under a tree''s shade, staring nkly at the blue sky. After a while, he threw down the trash bag and wandered off by himself.


    "Ah! So refreshing!" Naruto bought two ice creams from a convenience store and left with a swagger, ignoring the shopkeeper''s puzzled look.


    As soon as he stepped outside, the heat hit him like a wave.


    Naruto, who had nothing to do, simply squatted in front of the convenience store and ate both ice creams, making the kids next to him cry with envy.


    Naruto turned to look at the four kids standing in the sunlight, tanned and dirty. With a slight shift in his eyes, he called out to them.


    "Come here."


    Seeing the blonde who had just eaten two expensive ice creams calling them, the kids looked at each other in confusion.


    In the end, they were drawn over by the sight of Naruto licking two ice creams at once.


    "Want some?" Naruto waved the ice cream in his hand.


    The four kids are only a few years younger than Naruto, and consisted of three boys and a girl. They should be eight or nine years old, with unkempt hair and clothes. From this, it was obvious they were Konoha¡¯s orphans.


    "Yes." The leading boy said.


    "I can buy each of you an ice cream, but you have to answer a question first," Naruto said.


    The children hesitated for a moment and then nodded one after another.


    Naruto narrowed his eyes and scanned the four people, wondering if one of them might be the protagonist from some orphanage story.


    "What''s the meaning of ¡®YOLO¡¯?"


    The four kids looked at each other, none of them knowing the answer.


    Seeing no one could answer, Naruto showed a disappointed look but still went back into the store to buy five ice creams, one for each of them, including himself.


    The four kids and Naruto squatted at the store entrance, licking their ice creams without a care in the world.


    "Do you want to eat ice cream every day?"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    Four pairs of bright eyes stared at Naruto, who smiled and said, "Then you have to do me a favor."


    As the orange sunset nted across the sky, Narutoy on a hammock with an eight-year-old girl fanning him intermittently.


    Three boys were running towards him, sweating and carrying trash bags, shouting happily, "Boss, we''ve picked them all up!"

 Chapter 33 Will of Fire: Shinobi World’s Trash

    Chapter 33 Will of Fire: Shinobi World¡¯s Trash


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    Naruto woke up from the hammock and saw it was alreadyte. He waved to the four little helpers he had just recruited and said, "Let''s go, I''ll treat you guys to ramen."


    "Yeah!"


    A chorus of cheers erupted as the four kids, full of excitement, followed him to Ichiraku Ramen not far away.


    Pulling back the warm curtain, Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku, was about to wee them when he looked up and saw Naruto leading four dirty children inside.


    Teuchi was momentarily stunned but quickly returned to his usual demeanor and warmly asked, "What would you like to eat?"


    Naruto actually doesn''t like ramen very much. He gets a little tired of it after eating it a few times. Fortunately, he is not picky about food. Besides, he also wants to have close contact with Teuchi.


    ¡®Who knows, maybe Teuchi¡¯s real surname was Otsutsuki. After all, any Shinobi who hadn''t eaten at Ichiraku Ramen seemed doomed to meet an untimely end.¡¯


    For this reason, Naruto always eats ramen with a pilgrimage mentality.


    The four children seemed a little reserved. They didn''t dare to speak while standing behind Naruto. They just nced timidly at the menu on the wall.


    Although Konoha''s orphans are basically subsidized, they are also divided into different levels. In short, the situation of these four kids is not good. They are probably just barely able to get enough food.


    Even Ichiraku Ramen was an unattainable delicacy for the four of them.


    "I''ll have the tonkotsu ramen," Naruto said, "And bring the same for my four friends."


    "Sure, wait a moment." Teuchi responded cheerfully and headed back to the kitchen.


    Under the warm lights, the four kids sat somewhat ufortably, while Naruto yawned and chatted with them out of boredom.


    "Have you ever had tonkotsu ramen?"


    "No." The four of them shook their heads.


    "Thene and eat it every day from now on until you get sick of it." Naruto said casually, as if it was just a trivial remark.


    He didn''t even know what these four''s names were. Naruto didn''t ask and they didn''t tell him.


    "How is that possible?"


    It is really possible, because what Naruto had the most now is money, and he has no ce to spend it. He has no habit of squandering, and there is no reason for him to spend money casually.


    "You''ll see." Naruto said, "Anyway, meet me at the same ce tomorrow. There''ll be ice cream and ramen again."


    "Got it, Boss!" The four of them showed happy expressions and answered in unison.


    Naruto was genuinely bored, which is why he did seemingly pointless things. But until he finished those twenty D-Rank missions, he might not even be able to participate in the Chunin Exam.


    If that''s the case, then Naruto would just have to waste his August and September in boredom.


    Watching the four eat happily, Naruto yawned again, feeling no appetite. He thought to himself, ¡®When will this boring day end? I can''t wait for the Chunin Exams.¡¯


    Late into the night, Naruto parted ways with the four kids.


    This scene happened to be witnessed by Ino, who had just finished her training. She was a little confused as to why Naruto was hanging out with those kids.


    However, after watching them part ways, Ino didn''t think too much about it and walked towards the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    She didn''t know how to face Naruto now and didn''t want toplicate their rtionship further, so she decided to calm down for a while.


    However, not long after she walked away, she brushed shoulders with an odd old man dressed in white hair. He was tall, wearing a mesh undershirt training suit covered with a red coat, and a headband with the word ¡®Oil¡¯ written on it.


    ¡®When did such the vige have such a person?¡¯ Ino looked back at the man for a long time, but in the end, she did not follow him.


    She felt that it might be rted to the Chunin Exams that Konoha was going to host soon, as there are also many peopleing from other viges. Now that she thinks about it this way, it makes sense.


    Naruto also saw Jiraiya from a distance but didn''t approach him. Instead, he headed home in his own direction.


    ¡®If I get involved with Jiraiya, my future will definitely be troublesome.¡¯


    He really didn''t want to inherit the title of the Child of Prophecy. Honestly, Naruto couldn''t believe what a toad had said.


    Now that he is the Shinobi God, even though it was just an avatar, it had its advantages. Although it might not be useful, spreading hellish jokes around Konoha and disrupting public order wasn''t a bad thing.


    Unfortunately, Naruto had to make sure he wasn''t caught. Besides himself, no one else could know he was the whining Shinobi God.


    After returning home, Naruto went to sleep as usual.


    At midnight, Naruto''s biological clock made him suddenly open his eyes, then he checked the panel to update the Shinobi God¡¯s Diary on time.


    "August 17th, The Will of Fire is the Shinobi World¡¯s trash."


    After sending it, Naruto fell back asleep.


    The next day, Konoha held a public lecture on the Will of Fire. Shinobi were distributing pamphlets about the Will of Fire everywhere in the streets, and many slogans were posted on walls.


    Kakashi even informed Naruto to remember to attend the Will of Fire advanced course at the Academy, and also helped Sasuke and Sakura to attend the ss.


    "No way, I still have D-Rank missions to do," Narutoined.


    "I would have almost forgotten if you hadn''t mentioned it." Kakashi scratched his head while squatting on Naruto''s window, "How about this? Use transformation jutsu to substitute for Sasuke and Sakura in ss, and you can skip the D-Rank missions."


    "Deal."


    "Oh, by the way," Kakashi suddenly remembered something and said before leaving, "Tomorrow, the three of you will go to the Academy to submit your application forms for the Chunin Exams. I have already submitted your names."


    "Got it."


    After giving the instructions, Kakashi disappeared.


    "Ah." Naruto woke upzily, washed up, and suddenly remembered his appointment with the four kids. So, he skipped ss altogether.


    At the entrance of the convenience store, Naruto and his gang of five squatted in a row, holding ice cream in their hands and licking them synchronously, with the scorching sun a few meters away from them.


    "So, boss, you don''t have to pick up trash today?" One of the boys asked, sounding a bit disappointed.


    "Nah, not for now. Got other things to do." Naruto replied, swallowing his ice cream in one gulp and casually tossing away the stick. Then, he said, "Wait for me here. We''ll have barbecue together around noon."


    "Um." The only girl among the four raised her head, her messy long hair framing her face. She looked at Naruto and asked, "Why are you being so nice to us?"


    "No reason." Naruto nced back at them, "If I don''t hang out with you guys, I wouldn''t know what else to do."


    "Anyway, just wait for me here obediently."


    Leaving those words behind, Naruto walked away without looking back.


    As his figure disappeared into the distance, one of the slightly thinner boys suddenly spoke up, his voice cracking like a duck, a voice that was clearly that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old going through puberty.


    "Hey, Tayuya, isn''t this Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki a bit too easy to fool?"


    The girl named Tayuya red at the person who spoke and said, ¡°Shut up. Keep talking like that, and I''ll kill you!"

 Chapter 34 Sandaime: Naruto, Give Up The Chunin Exam

    Chapter 34 Sandaime: Naruto, Give Up The Chunin Exam


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    "But the ice cream is pretty good though." Kidomaru said, "Are we really going to wait here for him?"


    "Orochimaru-sama''s orders were for us to pose as orphans and infiltrate Konoha, and to take advantage of the Chunin Exams to carry out the Konoha Crush n."


    "But it seems like there''s still some time before the Chunin Exams start. Konoha seems to have attracted a lot of attention these days."


    "I''m not waiting anymore. Can''t keep up this act." Sakon and Ukon said, "I''m going to wander around."


    "Well, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll really starve to death without that guy." Kidomaru then shouted to Sakon and Ukon, "Wait for me!"


    The two left, leaving behind only Jirobo and Tayuya in child form.


    "Hey, Tayuya," Jirobo looked at their departingpanions, "You''re not seriously waiting for him, are you?"


    "Mind your own business!" Tayuya scowled and walked off in a different direction alone.


    Meanwhile, Naruto returned to the ss at the Academy, using Transformation Technique to cover for Sasuke and Sakura in ss.


    At the lectern, the female instructor, Suzume, was preaching about the Will of Fire. Despite her melodious voice, it couldn''tpensate for the outdated ideals of the Will of Fire, and Naruto found himself dozing off.


    In a daze, he fell asleep right on his desk. When he woke up again, the ssroom was already empty, and the sunset glow seeped in through the windows.


    ¡°Oops, I messed up. I had ns to eat barbecue with those four,¡± Naruto muttered to himself. He really had been idletely, and having a few people to hang out and eat with was nice.


    Training was out of the question, and he didn''t have to do D-rank missions anymore, just waiting for the Chunin Exams. In the meantime, Naruto had already figured out how to waste his time.


    But now the situation was a bit awkward, as he had overslept.


    "Oh no, it''s so embarrassing, I overslept." Naruto hastily wiped his drool, then rushed out of the door, "I wonder why I''ve been so sleepytely."


    While grumbling, Naruto dashed out of the Academy. When he arrived at the ce they had agreed to meet in the morning, there was no one in the dustynd dimmed by sunset.


    ¡®Come to think of it, who would wait from noon to afternoon? They would definitely think they were being fooled, right? Or they would think that the person simply didn''t care about the appointment.¡¯


    Naruto sighed softly. His newfound food buddies were gone, but since things hade to this, he might as well eat first.


    Just then, his stomach growled loudly, coincidentally followed by another set of growls from behind a nearby stack of cardboard boxes.


    Hearing the noise, Naruto was also stunned.


    A girl came out timidly from behind the cardboard boxes.


    At the barbecue restaurant.


    The sizzling meat emitted a tantalizing aroma as it touched the hot-oiled grill. Naruto grilled the meat and ced it into his and the girl''s bowl.


    "Dig in, dig in." Naruto couldn''t help but start eating himself.


    After a few bites, the girl suddenly looked up at Naruto and asked in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t barbecue expensive?¡±


    "It''s not expensive." Naruto said vaguely, "Don''t worry, I can totally afford it."


    The girl nodded and started eating the barbecue slowly. After they finished, Naruto asked if she needed to bring some food back for the other three.


    "No need, I think they might have found something to eat already." The girl said with her hands behind her back and smiled.


    "Alright then. By the way, ife back tomorrow morning, just wait for me here." Naruto scratched his head and said, "I will be here early. Today is an ident."


    "Okay!" The girl nodded earnestly.


    After the two parted ways, Naruto walked home at his usual leisurely pace, while Tayuya turned towards an alley and quickly disappeared into the darkness.


    "Tayuya? Did you really wait there for an entire afternoon?" Kidomaru asked disdainfully, "Did you end up meeting him?"


    "Yeah, and we had barbecue, but none for you." Tayuya replied casually.


    "Do you really think you''re an orphan? Don''t forget Orochimaru-sama''s mission!" Kidomaru warned, "One meal of barbecue and you''re bought off!"


    "Yep." Tayuya said, " One meal of barbecue, and I''m bought off. I got to eat it, you didn''t."


    "You¡­!"


    "Orochimaru-sama''s mission hasn''t started yet, I know what I''m doing." Tayuya said, "You don''t need to lecture me. Just take care of yourselves."


    "Tayuya, since you said so¡­" Kidomaru looked at Tayuya and seemed to be hesitant to speak, and finally said nothing.


    The next day, after waking up, Naruto did not update the Shinobi God¡¯s Diary as usual because he was visited by the Anbu.


    "Hokage-sama wishes to see you."


    "Oh."


    On the way, Naruto remembered his promise from yesterday and felt a bit irritated. He hoped this meeting would not take up too much of his time, otherwise he would break his promise again.


    After entering the Hokage¡¯s Office, Naruto met the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. The old Hokage was sitting at the Hokage table, smoking a pipe and looking at Naruto up and down.


    "Naruto, a lot of things have happened in the vige recently." Hiruzen began, "What do you think?"


    "I haven''t noticed much difference." Naruto replied indifferently, "Anyway, the vige is safe with Hokage-sama here."


    "I saw your name on the list for the uing Chunin Exams." Hiruzen nced at Naruto and said.


    "Given the current state of the vige, and your importance to it, I hope you''ll withdraw from this exam."


    "Okay." Naruto barely hesitated, "Can I go now?"


    "Don''t you want to know why?" Hiruzen looked at Naruto in surprise and said, "I originally thought you would not be able to ept it. The Chunin Exams a great opportunity for a Genin to showcase their skills."


    "Nothing to ask." Naruto answered in a proper manner, "The vige must have its reasons for making such arrangements. I don''t mind."


    "The essence of a Shinobi is obedience, right? I don''t mind anymore."


    Hiruzen¡¯s expression grew serious, but he couldn''t find the words to respond. He looked at Naruto, and Naruto also looked at him.


    "Hokage-sama, may I leave now?"


    "You may."


    After receiving the affirmative response, Naruto turned around and left without any hesitation. Before closing the door, he heard Hiruzen sigh.


    Perhaps Sandaime didn''t want Naruto to be just a weapon for the vige, but the current Naruto didn¡¯t have such an optimistic view.


    He saw the vige''s attitude towards him, and he didn''t want to sacrifice himself for Konoha.


    With the system, he didn''t need others to teach him Ninjutsu, nor external help to control the Kyubi. If he wanted, the system couldpletely skip the Kyubi and directly extract its power.


    As long as he wanted to, Naruto doesn''t need to rely on anyone and can live as he pleases.


    Kyubi is just a fox living in his body, so why should he avoid him?


    With the system in hand, there was no reason to avoid it?


    Sooner orter, one day, he''d crush the Kyubi with a single punch.

 Chapter 35 Predicting Sandaime’s Death

    Chapter 35 Predicting Sandaime¡¯s Death


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    Stepping out of the Hokage''s Office, Naruto felt the sunlight on his skin, but it offered no warmth. He nced around and headed in a particr direction.


    The bustling streets of Konoha were as lively as ever, filled with people going about their day.


    Walking along the road, Naruto had already put the recent events behind him. Since Sandaime wanted him to skip the Chunin Exams, he might as well continue causing some trouble in Konoha.


    After arriving at the meeting spot, Naruto saw the little girl and immediately put on a smile.


    Everyone was busy preparing for the Chunin Exams. Originally, Naruto had D-Rank missions to pass the time, but Kakashi had exempted him from those missions.


    However, Sandaime asking him to give up taking the Chunin Exams instantly made Naruto felt like he was back to square one.


    Kakashi was busy coaching Sasuke, Sakura was engrossed in learning Medical Ninjutsu, and all the other teams were preparing for the Chunin Exams. Even Hinata was working hard.


    Everyone was busy except Naruto, who was doing nothing. He was like the white clouds drifting in the sky, free yet incredibly bored.


    So in the mornings, Naruto took the little girl to the forest to catch animals, and in the afternoons, they fished in a shallow creek. By sunset, they were atop the Hokage Rock, overlooking the Konoha Vige.


    Although Naruto asionally asked about the whereabouts of the other three, the girl would vaguely reply that they were off ying on their own. He didn''t mind and continued to enjoy his leisure.


    If you are alone, even the most delicious food will lose some of its vor. Having someone to share meals with greatly satisfies Naruto''s desire to show off.


    Anyway, he was not short of money, so they had barbecue for lunch and Ichiraku Ramen in the afternoon. The next day, he changed his taste to seafood, and then mountain delicacies.


    As the days passed, the time for the Chunin Exams drew closer.


    "This must cost a lot, right?" The girl looked at Naruto and asked, somewhat puzzled. Even though she was ignorant, she felt that this extremely expensive lifestyle was a bit exaggerated.


    Naruto, however, was unfazed and replied casually, "Does it?"


    "Um."


    The night breeze blew past them as they stood on the Hokage Rock, gazing at the thousand lights of Konoha. Naruto jumped onto the railing, squatted down, and said, "As long as we''re happy, money is not important."


    Naruto waited a long time for a response. When he turned to look at the girl, she looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto asked, and then added, "Let''s go to the Valley of the End tomorrow. There seems to be a big red fish over there." (T/N: Valley of the End should be far from Konoha. I don¡¯t know why the Author wrote so.)


    "I can''t go tomorrow." The girl suddenly said.


    "That''s fine, I can go alone." Naruto said, "What about the day after tomorrow? It seems like we''ve been to all the ces we should go. There''s nothing fun to do now."


    "I have something important to do. I might not have time to hang out with you anymore." The girl said hesitantly, "I really want to, but it''s really important."


    Naruto was stunned for a moment. He then jumped off the railing, and suddenly smiled and said, "Come on, if you have something to do, just go. We''re both from Konoha, right? We''ll definitely have time to hang out again."


    "Yeah." The girl''s eyes dimmed a little when she said this.


    "Alright, go ahead. We''ll hang out again when you''re free." Naruto said, waving her off with no hint of sadness on his face.


    "Okay." The girl nodded, stood there for a while, then slowly turned around until shepletely disappeared into the darkness.


    Under the night sky, Naruto let out a long sigh. His face showed a hint of mncholy, but he quickly brightened up again.


    "At this time, the only people sneaking into Konoha are likely Orochimaru''s people¡­ Tayuya."


    ¡­


    At this time, Tayuya had already returned to the residence of the four-member team. Although it was called a residence, it was actually just an abandoned house with leaks.


    "Hey, Tayuya, why are you back sote again?" Kidomaru called out from a distance.


    "None of your business." Tayuya said coldly without even looking at Kidomaru.


    "You..." Kidomaru felt a bit annoyed, but he still held back.


    He knew that Tayuya always spoke bluntly, but almost at the same time, Kidomaru thought of a question, ¡®Tayuya probably didn''t act like this around that person, right?¡¯


    Thinking of this, Kidomaru spoke again with some resentment.


    "Tayuya, the Chunin Exams areing up, and Orochimaru-sama ordered us to be ready. You¡¯re not still hanging around that guy, are you?"


    "None of your business." Tayuya repeated. At this time, her red hair was covering her eyes. Her gaze is icy, and her mood is foul.


    "Tayuya, you¡­!" Kidomaru finally couldn''t take it anymore. He rushed forward to block her path, shouting at her.


    "You haven''t fallen for that kid, have you? He just bought you a few meals, that''s all. And that Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki is such a sucker¡­"


    With a bang, Kidomaru''s eyes widened slightly, and the next second, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of bile, and his whole body instantly bent into a shrimp shape.


    Tayuya had kicked him hard in the stomach, and then watched indifferently as he writhed in agony.


    "Kidomaru, are you okay?" Jirobo, who looked like a sumo wrestler, hurried over to help Kidomaru up and asked with a worried look on his face.


    "Get lost!" Kidomaru pushed Jirobo away. His face is twisted with anger, and he left with gritted teeth.


    The next day.


    Naruto went out as usual, wandering around, fishing by the river, and swimming under a waterfall. After ying alone for a while, he felt a bit bored.


    He had guessed Tayuya''s identity, but chose not to expose her.


    The reason was simple. Tayuya was the only one who had nothing to do at that time. With time to kill, they had yed together for a few days.


    Now that the dream was over, it was time for Naruto to start stirring things up in Konoha.


    Naruto pulled up the system panel and typed into the avatar¡¯s dialogue box: "August 29th, with nothing to do, I''ll make a casual prophecy. Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, will die during the Chunin Exams."


    After clicking confirm, smile crept onto Naruto¡¯s face.


    At this moment, almost everyone in Konoha put down what they were doing and a look of horror appeared on their faces.


    ¡®Sandaime Hokage-sama will die?¡¯


    In a men''s hot spring somewhere in Konoha.


    Jiraiya, who was soaking in the hot spring, suddenly turned serious and stared straight ahead. The tranquility of his mind shattered by the message.


    Even though Jiraiya and Sandaime had their differences, it was precisely because of these differences that he chose to travel, while Tsunade chose to indulge in gambling.


    But no matter what, Jiraiya never thought Sandaime would die. This message was clearly not a prank, as there was no Chakra disturbance, yet the message entered his mind without traces.


    It was like a thought imnted directly into his brain, but so clear.


    With a ssh, Jiraiya stood up from the hot spring. He wrapped the white towel on his head onto his waist, then slowly walked out of the hot spring.


    He had to meet Sandaime to see if he was dead or not.

 Chapter 36 Ichibi

    Chapter 36 Ichibi


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    In the Konoha Forest, at a training ground with three wooden stakes.


    The fallen leaves swirled down in the wind and were instantly torn apart by sharp des.


    Thud thud thud!


    Three kunai urately hit the bullseye, prompting a sigh of admiration from the girl with two buns on her head.


    "Bullseye, Neji, you''re amazing."


    "If it''s just this level, it can''t be said to be amazing." Neji said with a cold face.


    "Three thousand one hundred twenty-one! Three thousand one hundred twenty-two!" Lee gritted his teeth, doing one-handed push-ups nearby.


    "That''s already very good. After all, Neji is a genius." Tenten reassured.


    "A genius?" Neji tightened his knee pads and his gaze shifted to Lee beside him, "Uchiha Sasuke is the real genius. Only by fighting him can I know the gap."


    "Neji, what do you think about that Shinobi God thing?" Tenten seemed to suddenly remember something and asked nervously.


    "The sudden talk about Hokage-sama dying during the Chunin Exams and now Guy-sensei being summoned back by Hokage-sama."


    "I''m not sure." Neji said expressionlessly, "The higher-ups will definitely have a solution. It''s not something we should worry about."


    "Even though that''s what you say, the Chunin Exams will definitely be affected." Tenten said worriedly, "After all, it concerns Hokage-sama, and if things go wrong, the Chunin Exam smight be canceled."


    "Canceled?" Lee, who was sweating profusely from his upside-down push-ups, looked at the two and said, "Didn''t Guy-sensei tell us it''s unlikely to be canceled? He said that we should just focus on training."


    "It''s really hard to say in this situation now. After all, that Shinobi God''s words might be¡­" Tenten hesitated at this point.


    The Shinobi God revealed secrets about the Uchiha and Hyuga ns respectively, and Neji standing next to her was the victim of the Hyuga n¡¯s Caged Bird.


    "It''s fake." Neji said calmly, "The vige has alreadye out to refute the rumor and told us not to pay attention to the words of the Shinobi God."


    "Yeah, especially since the other party most likely be our enemies." Tenten sighed and said, "I wonder who this Shinobi God really is?"


    "It''s probably someone from the vige, right? Didn''t Guy-sensei say that people outside the vige can''t receive those sudden messages in their minds?" Lee continued talking as he sweated.


    Neji didn''t say anything and continued with his own training, but his gaze bing even calmer.


    A genius of the Hyuga n?


    Born into original sin, with the Caged Bird, there was no need for any genius.


    All the Hyuga n needed was to preserve the main family''s ves. As long as they could survive, continuing like ugly beasts was irrelevant.


    "What''s the deal with that message?" Shikamaru, lyingzily on the grassy slope, stared with dead-fish eyes.


    Asuma suddenly had somethinge up, and probably returned to the Hokage Tower. After all, he was the Hokage''s son, so he was probably very worried about Sandaime''s situation.


    The Ino-Shika-Cho trio suddenly found themselves with some free time. Shikamaru lounged around while Ino continued training, and Choji sat on the side munching on potato chips.


    Hearing this, Choji, munching on his chips, squinted his eyes and said, "Didn''t the vige say it was fake news."


    "Who would believe that?" Shikamaru mumbled, "The incident with the Hyuga n was real, wasn''t it? Last year''s top rookie should be from the branch family, right?"


    "Who told you that?" Ino, who had stopped training, heard their conversation and walked over to ask.


    "I heard it from my father." Shikamaru said, putting a de of grass in his mouth, staring at the cotton candy clouds drift by in the sky with dead-fish eyes, "That genius of the Hyuga n probably has the Caged Bird Cursed Seal on his forehead too."


    Hearing this, Ino sighed, "There''s nothing we can do about the matters of big ns."


    "Yeah." Shikamaru agreed, staring at the blue sky for a moment before suddenly asking, "Ino, do you have a conflict with that guy Naruto?"


    Ino was stunned for a moment when she heard this, then answered in a panic, "No, no, why are you asking?"


    "Didn''t you deliberately avoid Narutost time?" Shikamaru continued, "I''m just a little confused. When we went to submit the application form for the Chunin Exams today, why there were only Sakura and Sasuke from Team 7?"


    "I don''t know what''s wrong with Naruto. He used to crave recognition so much, but now, he seems to have lost all his drive."


    "I don''t know about that either." Ino said with a smile, "Besides, I''ve had my share of conflicts with him, so there''s nothing strange about that."


    "Yeah, who knows what that guy is up to." Shikamaruined.


    "Naruto?" Choji, who was eating potato chips, turned to them and suddenly said, "I saw him recently, and he seemed to be with a little girl."


    "A little girl?" Ino was slightly surprised.


    "Probably an orphan from the vige." Choji shoveled the potato chips into his mouth, "I saw them at the barbecue restaurant."


    "That guy Naruto, I feel like he doesn''t even seem like a Shinobi anymore."


    "Yeah, who knows. I haven''t seen him traintely." Shikamaru sighed and said, "Last time I saw him, he wasn''t even wearing his forehead protector."


    "How is it possible?" Ino was shocked. "Naruto wanted a Shinobi¡¯s forehead protector so much before, how could he¡­"


    "It''s hard to say." Shikamaru stood up and looked out from the hillside.


    His gaze rose from the grassy in, past the swaying grass, over a fleeting white bird, and finallynded on a few small ck dots in the distance.


    "Those people are Shinobi from Sunagakure, right?"


    Hearing this, Ino and Choji also looked in that direction, and cold sweat immediately formed on their foreheads.


    On the grasnd some distance away from them, a Shinobi carrying a gourd had a gloomy look on his face, and the other two Shinobi, a man and a woman, also looked at the three of them with unfriendly expressions.


    The two groups locked eyes, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio felt a chill down their spines. It¡¯s like a fear of being watched by a predator.


    Fortunately, the three Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi did not continue to walk towards them, but changed direction and headed towards the Hokage Tower.


    "That guy with the gourd is scary." Ino said with a lingering fear on her face, patting her chest in relief.


    "I hope we don''t run into them during the Chunin Exams." Shikamaru swallowed his saliva and agreed with a pale face.


    "Crunch! Crunch!" Choji was frightened and tilted his head back to pour a bag of potato chips into his mouth.


    "Temari, I heard that there is also a Jinchuriki in this vige." Kankuro, who was walking on the road carrying a puppet on his back, asked his sister, Temari.


    "Yes, it''s the most powerful one, Kyubi." Temari had a huge folding fan hanging behind her back, and she was wearing a shoulder-baring fis dress, with a slightly displeased look on her face.

 Chapter 37 Kyubi

    Chapter 37 Kyubi


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    Kankuro initially wanted to make a few sarcastic remarks, but remembering that his cold-blooded, murderous Jinchuriki brother was standing right next to him, he quickly dismissed the idea.


    The conversation came to an abrupt end.


    Jinchuriki, which isparable to walking human-shaped nuclear bombs, were terrifying to anyone who dealt with them.


    Kankuro was definitely scared¡­ scared of being squashed to death by his own brother''s transformed hand.


    Gaara remained silent throughout the whole process and seemingly uninterested in his siblings'' conversation.


    As the three entered Konoha''s main street, their unusual appearance immediately drew the attention of passersby.


    However, it was just a brief moment of curiosity. With the Chunin Exams around the corner, seeing a few Genin from other viges on the streets was not umon.


    Among the crowd, a young boy with spiky blond hair was leisurely wandering around with a drink in his hand. His bright hair made him stand out, and he had azy expression on his face.


    Naruto no longer needs to take part in the Chunin Exams, and Kakashi is busy training Sasuke and helping Sakura with her Taijutsu training.


    Anyway, Naruto was left alone with plenty of free time.


    Besides aimlessly wandering around the streets, his favorite pastime was transforming into an adult using the Transformation Technique to sneak into Konoha''s arcade and y pachinko.


    He didn''t wear the Konoha forehead protector, leaving his forehead exposed and his blond hair conspicuous as he roamed around having fun.


    Since Sandaime didn''t want him to take the Chunin Exams, he decided to let loose and enjoy himself.


    The reason Naruto wanted to participate in the Chunin Exams was purely to trigger the system¡¯s options. If that didn''t happen, he wouldn''t be too disappointed.


    Worst case scenario, he could always use the time to hang out with Hinata and unlock the Kyubi¡¯s progress. The feeling of getting stronger while flirting with girls is indeed reallyfortable.


    "Fox demon brat, get lost! I''m not selling anything to you!" The mask shop owner red at Naruto with a look of disgust.


    Naruto, who was picking out a fox mask, turned his head at the sound of the shop owner''s voice. He first stared at the shop owner deeply, and then unexpectedly put on the fox mask on his face.


    Step by step, Naruto walked towards the shop owner.


    The mask shop owner was frightened by the silent, masked Naruto. He stumbled backward and fell to the ground with a thud.


    When he turned his head to look at Naruto, the spot where Naruto had been standing was empty.


    "Are you looking for me?"


    Naruto''s voice suddenly came from directly behind the shop owner.


    The man, still on the ground, looked up to see Naruto, who¡¯s wearing the fox mask, leaning over and staring down at him.


    "Aaahhhh!!!!"


    "Monster!"


    "Hahaha, what''s the matter, mister? Are you really that scared?"


    The terrified screams mixed with Naruto''s carefreeughter, attracting the attention of passersby who looked on at the scene inside the shop with horror on their faces.


    Naruto, however, was unbothered. He walked straight up to the shop owner, removed the mask from his face, and asked with a bright smile, "Mister, will you sell me the mask?"


    "Sell, sell!" The mask shop owner was already intimidated and no longer dared to make any sarcastic remarks.


    "Oh." The smile on Naruto''s face suddenly disappeared at this moment. He casually tossed the fox mask onto the ground and said softly, "But I don''t want it anymore."


    As he said this, he stomped on the fox mask on the ground and broke it into pieces. Then, he turned around and kicked the mask stand next to him down.


    The force was so great that the masks on the rack instantly shattered into pieces.


    The mask shop owner, pale with fear, stared wide-eyed as his mask disy copsed with a crash.


    However, Naruto just nced at the fallen shop owner and casually tossed a handful of bills into the air before leaving with a smile on his face.


    As he watched the fearful and shocked gazes of the vigers on the street, Naruto smiled to himself, ¡®I¡¯m a Jinchuriki, nobody owed anyone anything.¡¯


    ¡®Why should I give in to those bastards?¡¯


    ¡®They want me to be a nuclear weapon, but they always treated me poorly. Why should I ept it?¡¯


    "That''s the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, right?" Kankuro, who was passing by in the crowd, asked, pointing in the direction Naruto left.


    "Seems like it." Temari nodded, her brow furrowed slightly.


    "Let''s go meet him," Kankuro suggested eagerly, his face filled with anticipation


    "Don''t meddle in other people''s business!" Temari refused decisively, and said in a low voice, "Don''t forget our mission. That Kyubi brat doesn''t look easy to mess with!"


    But before Temari could finish her words, Gaara, who had been silent all along, stepped towards the direction Naruto had left.


    "Gaara!" Temari reached out to stop him, but Kankuro swiftly intervened her.


    He shook his head at Temari with a rare serious expression and said, "He''s made his decision. It''s best not to interrupt him."


    Temari fell silent and reluctantly withdrew her hand. She sighed and could only signal Kankuro to follow her as they went after Gaara.


    This time, Sunagakure participated in the Chunin Exams held by Konoha was not only for the exam, but also to secretly formted an attack n to destroy Konoha.


    As an important part of the n, the three siblings were sent to Konoha early to participate in the Chunin Exams and gather intelligence.


    It is precisely because of this that Temari did not want to cause any unexpected trouble before their mission even began.


    In the alley, Naruto suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    [Kyubi¡¯s approval 13.2%]


    During his recent date with Hinata, the progress bar soared very quickly, from 2.3% to 6.7%, and finally surged to 13.2% during the fireworks.


    Compared to 2.3%, 13.2% meant that Naruto had already used one-ninth of the Kyubi¡¯s power, even capable of manifesting one tail.


    He turned around and saw the three siblings from Sunagakure standing outside the alley.


    His gaze lingered momentarily on Temari''s exposed shoulder outfit.


    ¡®The atmosphere in the Sunagakure was indeed more open.¡¯ Naruto couldn''t help but recall a Temari fan art he had seen before he crossed over here.


    Gaara stared at the blond-haired figure before him and spoke, "I smell the scent of my kind from you."


    As soon as he opened his mouth, Gaara showed his Chuunibyou syndrome. Naruto knew very well that Gaara was still in his rebellious phase at this time, so he didn''t bother with him too much.


    After all, Gaara is the legitimate prince of Sunagakure, and standing beside him is the Sunagakure¡¯s princess, Temari, and the young prince Kankuro, who has no interest in the ¡®throne¡¯.


    All three had a somewhat non-mainstream look, which made Naruto lose any desire tomunicate directly.


    Waving his hand dismissively at Gaara, Naruto said impatiently, "I''m not a Chuunibyou. How can I be the same as you?"


    "Chuuni what?" Kankuro asked in confusion.


    "You guys have fun. I''m leaving." Naruto waved his hand again, turned around, and started to leave.


    But as soon as he lifted his foot, a surge of killing intent suddenly surrounded him. This strong killing intent came from behind him, from Gaara, who loved ying with sand.


    Naruto nced back, and the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra surged instantly. His face transformed into a half-human, half-fox expression as he snarled at the Sunagakure¡¯s Genins.


    "Get lost. Don''t make me say it a second time."

 Chapter 38 Change

    Chapter 38 Change


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    Outside the alley.


    Temari and the other two stood in the sunlight, but they werepletely stunned. Even Gaara retracted his killing intentand looked at Naruto in the shadows with fear.


    "Let''s go!" Temari whispered urgently, no longer caring about anything else at the moment.


    She quickly grabbed the hands of her two rebellious brothers, not looking back as she hurriedly led them out of the alley. It wasn''t until they had gone a considerable distance that she released them, gasping for breath.


    "What was that?" Kankuro, whose face was painted with purple striped camouge, asked, his eyes vacant and his hand trembling as it supported him against the wall.


    Kankuro, still rational, knew that Gaara standing beside him was also a monster and that the term ¡®monster¡¯ was taboo, so he didn''t say anything harmful or unnecessary.


    "The Kyubi." Temari, with her entire body trembling, said. Her legs were so tense that they were still spasming.


    "How could there be such a terrifying thing in Konoha?" Kankuro recalled the scene moments ago, his purple lips quivering incessantly.


    "Kyubi?" At this moment, the Jonin leading the Sunagakure Team had already stood beside them. He frowned and nced at the three, "How is it possible? You must have been tricked by that brat."


    "Tricked?" Temari and Kankuro exchanged nces, but Gaara didn''t react at all and still stood there indifferently.


    "Baki-sensei, what do you mean?" Temari asked anxiously, cold sweat beading on her forehead.


    Baki, the Jonin referred to by Temari, wore a stern expression, dressed in ck tight-fitting clothes with a brown Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin vest over it.


    He had a piece of white cloth draped over half of his head, covering the left side of his face. His tone was serious and somewhat authoritative.


    "You don''t need to worry too much." Baki said, "Kyubi reappeared in Konoha more than a decade ago. It is believed that the mature Jinchuriki is already dead."


    "The current Konoha¡¯s Jinchuriki is just an ordinary kid who can''t control the power of the Biju at all."


    Having said this, Baki paused, looked at his three students and continued, "What you described was a Biju Transformation. That is something that only a Perfect Jinchuriki can do. If Konoha really had such a Jinchuriki, how could we have continued the Konoha Crush n?"


    "Sensei, are you saying that kid can''t really control the Kyubi and just pretended to use Biju Transformation to scare us?" Temari asked in surprise.


    "Of course, otherwise, how could it be so coincidental that the vige''s most important Jinchuriki just happened to pass by you?" Baki nodded.


    His eyes seemed to see through Konoha''s conspiracy, and he showed a stiff smile as if he hadprehended everything.


    "The Chunin Exams are apetition to showcase the new generation''s strength from various viges. How could Konoha miss this great opportunity to intimidate our Sunagakure?"


    "I see." Kankuro nodded. Although he still felt something was wrong, he felt it was unimportant.


    Since a Jonin like Baki said so, and their ally for this cooperation had very reliable intelligence, there is naturally no reason to doubt it.


    Temari also breathed a sigh of relief, then gritted her teeth and said viciously, "That guy actually dared to trick us. He better not fall into my hands in the future!"


    Gaara, who had remained indifferent, merely nced at them coldly, but did not speak to correct them.


    The moment he lowered his head, his eyes were filled with fighting spirit.


    Gaara knew best whether that was the pressure from a Biju, and there was no doubt about it, it was the Kyubi.


    ¡­


    The next day, a heavy rain poured down in Konoha.


    Led by Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke headed to the Hokage Tower to submit their Chunin Exam application forms. The three of them walked in the rain holding umbres.


    Under the pink umbre, Sakura broke the silence and mustered up the courage to ask Kakashi, whose back was ahead of them, "Kakashi-sensei, why can''t Naruto take the Chunin Exam with us?"


    Kakashi stopped upon hearing her question and turned to look at Sakura.


    "It''s Hokage-sama''s order, there''s nothing we can do about it."


    "But¡­" Sakura swallowed, her fingers gripping the umbre handle turning white in the downpour, "we''re a team, aren''t we?"


    The sound of the rain drowned out most external noises, forcing Sakura to shout so that Kakashi could hear her.


    Raindrops soaked the tips of her pink hair. Her voice trembled slightly with hesitation, "You taught us, Kakashi-sensei, that we are a team. So... so we shouldn''t just leave Naruto behind!"


    Sasuke also stopped and frowned slightly. Although he didn''t say anything, his gaze toward Kakashi conveyed his agreement.


    "Even if this is the order of Hokage-sama? Are you going to disobey it?" Kakashi asked, looking down at Sakura without emotion.


    "Perhaps your and Sasuke''s qualification for the exam will also be affected. Even so, will you still insist?"


    "I¡­" Sakura hesitated upon hearing Sasuke might be affected too.


    Kakashi ignored Sakura''s hesitation. He single eye swept over Sasuke and Sakura, and he asked them in a serious tone, "The Chunin Exams is the only way for a Genin to be a Chunin. It is also the fastest way for you to be a Chunin. After bing a Chunin, both the mission rewards and the resources you''ll receive are many times those of a Genin."


    "You all have your goals, don''t you? Isn''t it better to achieve them sooner? The Chunin Exams this time is in Konoha, our home ground. It¡¯s a rare opportunity."


    "If you wanted to wait for another chance like this, it might be a while. By then, your peers from the Academy might already be Jonin."


    "Even so, will you still insist?"


    Boom!


    Lightning shed through the rain, and the sound of the downpour grew louder, the raindrops hitting the umbre seemed to be questioning their consciences.


    Sakura and Sasuke both fell into silence, allowing the sound of rain to be infinitely amplified.


    "It''s okay." Kakashi spoke again, "The order not to participate in this Chunin Exam was personally given by Sandaime Hokage-sama. It is not something you can change."


    "Let''s go, or we''ll bete."


    As he said that, Kakashi had already turned around and was walking forward with his tactical boots sshing in the puddles.


    "I¡­" Sakura couldn''t help but cry. She remembered the first time the three of them shared information, and Naruto''s words offort to her.


    "There''s nothing wrong with being an ordinary person..."


    "Sakura, your strength isn''t inbat. You don''t need to overextend yourself. Sasuke and I handle the fighting."


    Sakura couldn''t hold back any longer, and tears welled up in her eyes as she lowered her head and sobbed. She regretted her moment of hesitation, knowing Naruto had never wavered in such moments.


    "Kakashi-sensei! I¡­ I still want to take the Chunin Exams with Naruto!" Sakura raised her head and shouted out.


    Tears blurred her vision, and she wasn''t sure if Kakashi had already walked far away or if the heavy rain had drowned out her words.


    The sound of footsteps sshing through water approached, and Sakura felt a warm hand rest on her head. When she looked up, she saw Kakashi''s smiling eye, and he said gently, "I agreed."


    "You are indeed exceptional. Sasuke has already told me, and Sakura, you''ve done very well."

 Chapter 39 Psycho!!!

    Chapter 39 Psycho!!!


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    "Ah, this feels so good."


    Naruto soaked in the hot spring, feeling his skin gradually rx. He closed his eyes and let out a moan amidst the rising steam.


    Outside, the heavy rain continued to pour. Due to his reckless actions yesterday, the Anbu had resumed their surveince of the Jinchuriki, so Naruto had simply decided to hide away in the hot spring.


    ¡®Was it really necessary just because he knocked over a mask stall?¡¯


    ¡®Besides, didn¡¯t I pay for it?¡¯


    ¡®Wasn''t the money he threw into the air still money? And the shop owner did take those money in the end?¡¯


    On the rooftop opposite the hot spring.


    An Anbu¡¯s member was very unhappy. Even though he was hiding carefully, the heavy rain outside had nearly soaked his underwear.


    His heart was as cold as his damp underwear. It was normal for an Anbu¡¯s member to suffer a little. It was nothing new.


    But seeing his surveince target leisurely blowing bubbles in the hot spring, sipping clear water, and even dining in the spring made him feel despondent.


    Just as the Anbu¡¯s member was feeling the gloom of life, thinking that he was living worse than a kid and questioning his resolve as a Shinobi amidst the rain, there was a sudden bang, and another Anbu¡¯s member appeared through the rain.


    "Shift change, Yama."


    The Anbu¡¯s member codenamed ¡®Yama¡¯ turned around and his lifeless eyes startled his colleague.


    "Yama! Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine." Yama shook his head, exhaling a breath in the rain and muttering softly, "Maybe I should visit the hot spring too, but Commander never gives us any leave."


    "Soaking in a hot spring must be sofortable and warm. Damn it, why did I be an Anbu knowing this job is endless overtime?!"


    "But if I don''t be a Shinobi, I''d have to go into other lines of work. Being a host in a nightclub doesn''t seem so bad. Maybe I should try resigning to the Commander after this shift."


    The new Anbu¡¯s member swallowed hard as he watched his partner''s disheartened back.


    "Yama¡­ His soul has been polluted by the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki!"


    Midlife crises aren''t avoidable, even for Anbu. After all, Konoha doesn''t keep idle people. If a Shinobi passed the golden age of thirty, they had to consider transitioning to other roles.


    Generally speaking, Shinobi fromrge ns would start taking over n affairs around the age of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, transforming frombatants to civil servants who uphold the Will of Fire in a steady and loyal manner.


    There are many such examples, such as Neji''s deceased father, Hyuga Hizashi, and the older generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.


    As the saying goes, ¡®Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, the son of a strategist is a strategist, the disciple of a Hokage is a Hokage¡¯. Is the essence of the Will of Fire hard work over talent?


    Of course not.


    ¡®The Will of Fire is truly divine.¡¯ Naruto sighed in the hot spring, ¡®No wonder Sandaime is said to be the greatest Hokage of Konoha. It really is true.¡¯


    ¡®Theism, Pantheism, and Child of Prophecy are all little brothers in front of the Will of Fire.¡¯


    Ssh.


    Naruto stood up from the hot spring pool, walked slowly towards the shore, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face.


    ¡®The Will of Fire, heh.¡¯


    ¡­


    In the midst of summer, heavy rain poured down relentlessly.


    The murky gray sky resembled a giant inverted bowl, tightly covering the sky over Konoha.


    It was already afternoon, but Naruto still hadn''t worn his forehead protector. He walked towards his apartment in his loose ck robe, stepping through puddles with a sshing sound.


    ¡®Children without umbres can only run hard.¡¯ Naruto agreed deeply with this statement.


    Just now, he had watched a child without an umbre dash past him, his pants rolled up high, sshing water half a meter with each step.


    "Shira! Didn''t bring an umbre again today?" An old man at the street corner called out to the sprinting boy from the shop doorway.


    "Grandpa Kuu, don''t worry about me!" The boy''s voice was full of determination, "I want to be the Hokage in the future!"


    Hearing this, Naruto''s eyelids twitched slightly.


    Just as Naruto was pondering whether the boy wanted to be Tsunade''s man or Sandaime¡¯s man, there was a loud bang.


    The boy stepped into a puddle, slipped heavily, and fell into it. At this time, his face and body were covered in yellow mud spots.


    [Give the umbre in your hand to the young Shira, so that he can feel the warmth of the world. Reward: Max Level Four Symbols Seal.]


    [Walks away indifferently, and before leaving, mocked the young Shira, letting him feel the malice of the world. Reward: Shukaku¡¯s favor]


    Hearing this, Naruto was stunned.


    ¡®What kind of dark, perverted and heaven-defying choices are these?¡¯


    ¡®For a young boy, how much psychological damage would a slip after falling into a puddle cause? Oh no, oh no, oh no!¡¯


    Sighing, Naruto showed apassionate expression as he walked in front of the boy with arge ck umbre.


    The boy in the puddle gasped for breath, struggling to get up. There¡¯s bright red blood oozing from his trouser legs.


    Despite this, he still wore a sunny smile on his face.


    Just as he was about to make a self-deprecating remark to ease the embarrassment, he suddenly noticed arge ck umbre covering him, and a yellow-haired man in a ck loose robe was looking at him.


    The young Shira looked somewhat surprised, seemingly puzzled about why this blond boy was standing next to him.


    ¡®Could this be the encounter of friendship between boys in the youth storybook?¡¯


    Just when the young Shira was about to express his goodwill, arge ck umbre was suddenly handed to him, and the blond boy spoke calmly.


    "For you."


    Shira instinctively wanted to refuse, but then he thought that he could use this umbre as an opportunity to start a new friendship, so why not?


    "Thank you."


    Shira gripped the handle of the umbre and was about to say some opening remarks to introduce himself, but in his mind, he was already imagining the scene of chasing dreams together with his new friend.


    "My name is Shira, what¡¯s your¡­"


    Before he could finish his sentence, the umbre handle in his hand was suddenly snatched back by Naruto, who walked away without looking back.


    "Huh???"


    Snap. The dream of chasing dreams together under the sunset was shattered.


    The young Shira¡¯s face instantly flushed red, and he blurted out something as he looked at Naruto''s quickly departing back.


    "Psycho!!!"


    [Ding! The Four Symbols Seal is acquired sessfully and automatically nurtured to the maximum level.]


    Naruto had already walked far away. The umbre handle had left his hand for less than three seconds, and it still retained his body temperature.


    ¡®Having an umbre on a rainy day really felt nice.¡¯


    The reason for choosing the Four Symbols Seal is simple, which is to control Kyubi in a physical sense.


    It''s not a pleasant feeling to have a time bomb in his stomach, so he wanted to see if they can talk about it. If they can''t, then he¡¯ll have to flip the table.


    Just use the Four Symbols Seal to shrink the Kyubi¡¯s cage, and then give him a lesson in confinement and restraint.

 Chapter 40 I! Caught! You!

    Chapter 40 I! Caught! You!


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    As Naruto returned home, the rain gradually subsided.


    Humming a strange yet simple tune, he ascended the stairs with brisk steps.


    The old-style apartment where he lived had few residents,prising aplex and peculiar mix of people. Sometimes he saw young girls, other times only old folks.


    But on rainy days, people were rarely seen. While shaking the rain off his big ck umbre and forcefully stomping his feet to shake off the rain-soaked pants,


    When Naruto was reaching for the key to open the door, he looked up and suddenly found a person squatting not far from the door.


    It was a young girl with cherry blossom pink hair and a broad forehead. She leaned against the wall, seemingly asleep, with her wet hair hanging down.


    ¡®Hmm? Sakura?¡¯


    ¡®Sakura!!!¡¯


    ¡®Why is she here? Wasn''t she supposed to be with Sasuke registering for the Ch¨±nin Exams?¡¯


    Naruto crouched down and leaned over to take a look.


    "Is she really asleep?"


    ¡®Isn''t this a plot straight out of he... cough... light novels?¡¯


    ¡®Damn it, degrading.¡¯


    He had never read those indecent light novels, only the proper romance ones on that particr site.


    Confirming that Sakura was indeed asleep, Naruto marveled at the peculiarity.


    Sakura was crouched against the wall, sitting in a position with her legs curled up and her butt touching the ground, her wet pink hair hanging down.


    The girl was breathing rhythmically with her eyes closed.


    People typically fall asleep easily in two scenarios, either in a warm air-conditioned room or when it''s cold.


    The summer temperature was not low enough to freeze anyone to death. In fact, the heavy rain has washed away the heat of the past few days, making it quite cool.


    ¡®Something is fishy.¡¯


    ??Naruto scratched his head and tentatively nudged Sakura''s shoe with his foot.


    ¡®No response.¡¯


    Scratching his head again, Naruto finally sensed a trace of Chakra. Clumsily recalling the knowledge taught in the Academy, he formed a dispelling hand seal.


    "Wake up!"


    Naruto called out, forming a hand seal with his hands, and fiery red Chakra surged into Sakura''s body.


    Instantly, Sakura''s head snapped up, gasping for breath as if she hadn''t breathed in ages.


    "I¡¯m saved." Sakura said tremblingly.


    "What happened?"


    "Sasuke was taken away by a strange man, and I was caught in that man''s Genjutsu. Kakashi-sensei should be chasing after him."


    "Naruto! You need toe with me! Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke are in danger!" Sakura reached out to grab Naruto''s hand.


    But in the next second, Naruto turned around and kicked Sakura right in the cheek.


    Oddly enough, Sakura let out a scream of pain and jumped back skillfully to create some distance. Though she still looked like Sakura, her eyes were particrly fierce at this time.


    "How did you see through me?"


    "You seem to like digging into people''s minds?" Naruto retorted.


    "Hehe." The fake Sakuraughed, reaching behind her waist and quickly pulling out two sharp kunai.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t tell me anything. After all, you''re just a corpse."


    The fake Sakura still hadn''t removed her disguise, and charged towards Naruto with two kunai in hand. Meanwhile, the surroundings began to change.


    A static noise buzzed in Naruto''s ears, like the sound of an old projector getting stuck, and the light around him suddenly dimmed.


    To be more precise, the light around Naruto was swallowed by darkness. It didn''t dim uniformly but was torn apart by the darkness as if it were consuming flesh and blood.


    Everything went pitch ck, and Naruto felt the ground shaking beneath him, as if it might copse at any moment. After calming himself down, Naruto instinctively stepped back and jumped away.


    This is a Genjutsu World, while the real enemy was attacking him outside.


    Naruto didn''t pay much attention to what he saw in the Genjutsu world, instead focusing on instinctively controlling his body to avoid attacks.


    Until the enemy entered the Genjutsu world as well.


    Boom!


    The darkness suddenly retreated, and Naruto looked up to find himself tied to a stone pir.


    In the night sky, a blood-red moon hung, casting its crimson light equally on Naruto and the smirking face of the fake Sakura holding the kunai.


    "Why do you always like to smile like that?"


    Naruto constantly provoked the assassin, teasing their fragile nerves, knowing that calmness was the greatest mockery of death.


    "Haha, wait until your stomach is slit open, I will tell you the answer!" The fake Sakura''s eyes shone with a nearly pathological glint, and she kept sucking on her fingers in her mouth.


    It was both a little seductive and a little terrifying.


    Her deranged state made her look like a mentally deranged lunatic.


    Whether she was speaking or licking her fingers, the fake Sakura''s eyes never left Naruto, holding her face in a ssic yandere pose.


    ¡®Indeed, having pink hair while acting like a yandere didn''t feel out of ce at all!¡¯


    ¡®Damn it! Why am I thinking of Yuno Gasai at a time like this?¡¯


    "What did you say you were going to do to me?" Naruto smiled, lookingpletely unfazed, "I didn''t hear you clearly just now, can you say it again?"


    "Are you scared?"


    "Yes, I almost peed myself." Naruto said lightly, "I n to redeem you and guide you onto the right path."


    "Redeem me? Hahahaha!!" The fake Sakuraughed like she had heard the biggest joke of the century, bending over inughter.


    "How are you going to redeem me? By begging for mercy?"


    "Maybe if you kneel and beg now, I might be in a good mood and let you go."


    "Not a chance, you''re dead! An hour here is only a minute outside."


    The fake Sakura slowly walked to the immobilized Naruto, raised the kunai in her hand high, and stared at Naruto expressionlessly.


    "Die!"


    "Wait!"


    "Do you have anyst words?" The fake Sakura still maintained the posture of holding the kunai high.


    "I do have something," Naruto coughed, staring intently at the fake Sakura, and asked.


    "Have you ever seen a mouth seal?"


    "What?" The question confused the fake Sakura.


    [Four Symbols Seal activated, devour.]


    Boom!!


    The Genjutsu was instantly shattered by a devastating force, and that extremely terrifying force came with an ancient and dusty feeling.


    Suddenly, the fake Sakura vanished and was pulled into the seal while spinning.


    At the same time, in the dark and humid Four Symbols Seal space, the fake Sakuranded in a puddle, and Naruto stood on the puddle in front of her.


    Behind Naruto, a huge fence-like mahogany cage stood tall. From the darkness, a giant fiery red fox head slowly emerged.


    The massive fox, like a mountain, had a mouth full of sharp teeth and blood-red eyes filled with terrifying malice.


    The fake Sakura was stunned, her body copsing in the puddle as tears streamed uncontrobly.


    Naruto smiled and stared at the fake Sakura as he spoke word by word.


    "I! Caught! You!"

 Chapter 41 Kurama, Swallow Him!

    Chapter 41 Kurama, Swallow Him!


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    "Human?"


    There was a huge sh of hatred in Kyubi¡¯s eyes, and violent killing intent exploded in the dark, damp dungeon. Red Chakra surged like a mist, desperately trying to escape the confines of the cage.


    Unfortunately, no matter how fast the red Chakra moved, it remained trapped within the red bars of the cage.


    The spaces between the bars seemed to have an invisible barrier, separating inside from outside, creating an inescapable prison.


    "Yes, a human." Naruto no longer paid attention to the fake Sakura in the puddle and turned to face the furious Kyubi with a smile.


    "So what can you do about it? Come out and beat me up?"


    "Roar!!!"


    An furious roar erupted, causing the entire space to tremble violently. Water began to pour down more rapidly, gushing out.


    However, nothing changed. Naruto continued to stand there,ughing brazenly.


    At that moment, the fake Sakura behind him stood up again and rushed towards Naruto with a kunai in hand!


    The kunai aimed for Naruto''s neck, but Naruto stood there seemingly unaware of the attack from behind.


    Boom!


    Just when the fake Sakura was about to seed, a red tendril shot up from the ground and pped her directly.


    The fake Sakura bent backward skillfully, dodging the red tendril that nearly grazed her nose. Seeing the tendril that matched the red bars of the cage, cold sweat drenched the fake Sakura¡¯s back.


    ¡®Impossible!¡¯


    ¡®Absolutely impossible!¡¯


    ¡®This ce doesn''t exist, it''s just a Genjutsu!¡¯


    But in the next second, more red tendrils sprouted from the ground and rushed towards the fake Sakura urately as if they had intelligence.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The red tendrils kept attacking, shattering the ground. The fake Sakura¡¯s escape route was riddled with potholes.


    The tendrils moved faster and faster, almost imperceptible to the naked eye.


    St!


    One tendril pierced her flesh, and the fake Sakura screamed in agony. The remaining red tendrils seized this opportunity and struck.


    The fake Sakura''s hands and feet, along with the skin and flesh, were nailed to the ground, and a tendril pierced her stomach, creating a gruesome wound.


    Blood spurted out and sttered all over the ground, forming a fox-shaped blood shadow.


    ¡°Aaaaahhhhhh!!!¡±


    The heart-wrenching pain instantly corroded the fake Sakura''s mind, and the Transformation Technique could no longer be maintained. With a bang, the fake Sakura''s true form was revealed.


    It was a Shinobi wearing a mask, and blood was seeping from under the mask.


    He had never imagined that a little Genin brat would be so powerful.


    Any other Genin would fight with fear when faced with life and death. But Naruto is different. The battle with Zabuza had made him grow, and walking the edge of life and death didn''t frighten him, instead, it excited him.


    He understood one thing, the oue of a battle isn¡¯t determined by the enemy''s strength but by the intensity of one''s own desire to fight.


    In other words, as long as they are enemies, they should be killed with all possible cruel means!


    The screams echoed in the dungeon. And Kyubi, who is watching from behind the red bars, showed a trace of fear in his eyes.


    He could sense the oppressive power of those red tendrils, which was very simr to the aura of the red bars imprisoning him. If the little brat in front of him could control those tendrils, then he could definitely control the red bars as well.


    But Kyubi hadn¡¯t realized that Naruto, who had been watching him all along without turning his head, had noticed the fear in his eyes and smiled.


    "So, what do you think?"


    "What?" Kyubi bared his teeth at Naruto, ring at him with his red eyes, "Human, you deserve to die!"


    "I asked what you thought of this performance?" Naruto ignored Kyubi¡¯s outburst.


    "Performance?" Kyubi looked at Naruto with disdain and said contemptuously, "You humans just love to kill each other. It has always been this way for thousands of years."


    "Seems that way." Naruto tilted his head, and his neck made a crisp sound, "Ouch! It hurts so much, I''m dying, dying, dying!"


    ¡®I should have known not to show off. Showing off will only lead to bad consequences.¡¯


    "Cough, cough." Naruto awkwardly cleared his throat and waved his hand under Kyubi¡¯s contemptuous gaze.


    The Shinobi, who was nailed to the ground and it was not certain whether he was from the Anbu or the Root, was immediately dragged underground by the red tendrils. Momentster, he reappeared inside the red cage.


    The man still retained his consciousness, and under the influence of adrenaline, he looked in horror at the colossal red fox towering like a mountain.


    "What do you want to do, human?"


    Naruto lowered his head, his eyes obscured by shadows. Kyubi could only saw Naruto¡¯s mouth curled up.


    "Swallow him."


    "What!" Kyubi was furious when he heard this. He was enraged that this human actually dared tomand him, even suggesting him swallow a filthy human.


    ¡®What does he take me for? A dog!¡¯


    ¡®How ridiculous!¡¯


    "Human! You will pay for your insolence!"


    The space began to tremble with unprecedented force, as if on the verge of copse. A red whirlwind emerged out of nowhere.


    Naruto stood amidst the oing red wind, swaying momentarily like a reed in autumn before stabilizing again.


    This time, Naruto¡¯s voice was cold and clear. He raised his head and stared at Kyubi with a serious expression,manding in an unquestionable tone, "Kurama, swallow him."


    The moment Naruto urately called out his name, Kyubi was momentarily stunned. Naruto¡¯s eyes burned with fierce and terrifying emotion.


    "Swallow him!"


    Naruto shouted loudly, his voice stern and resolute. At this time, he seemed like apletely different person. There was boundless ferocity in his eyes, and his pupils were red as if they were about to burn.


    Kyubi had no choice. His mind went nk and he was trulypelled by Naruto¡¯smand. He opened his massive maw and picked up the dying Shinobi.


    "No!! No! Help!"


    "Ahhhh!!!"


    The sound of crunching echoed, followed by the Shinobi¡¯s screams reverberating through the space. With a toss of his head, Kyubi swallowed, and the Shinobi¡¯s voice abruptly ceased.


    Dead silence. There was no sound in the space. Only Naruto''s heartbeat was heard, which gradually slowed down and returned to normal.


    The red in Naruto¡¯s eyes faded, and his expression returned to normal.


    What had just happened seemed like a dream, but the ring bloodstains on the ground reminded Kyubi that, for a moment, he had indeed been controlled.


    In that instant, Kyubi only felt that the soul of the little brat in front of him was exceptionally towering, and he was just a small cat in front of him.


    It was like an ill-tempered owner scolding his pet, and that fierce gaze had made even Kyubi feel fear, instinctively choosing to obey.


    Humiliation, it was utterly humiliating! As a Biju, and the most powerful one at that, he was actually made to eat a human like a dog.


    Recalling the sensation in his throat, an unprecedented wave of nausea washed over Kyubi¡¯s brain, nearly making him retch.

 Chapter 42 Violation Level: 7

    Chapter 42 Vition Level: 7


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    In the damp and cold sealed space, one man and one fox stood quietly facing each other from across the red cage bars, their heights contrasting sharply.


    Drip.


    Drip.


    Drip.


    Water droplets fell from the eternally dark cell above, emphasizing the eerie silence within the seal space.


    "Human, how¡­how do you know my name?"


    Kyubi couldn''t hold back any longer and broke the silence first, staring intently at Naruto.


    Naruto, with his hands in his pockets and hisrge ck robe draped over his shoulders, answered with a nonchnt expression and dead fish eyes, "I heard it from others."


    "You''re lying!" Kyubi reacted violently, baring his teeth and shouting angrily, "Despicable human, do you still want to continue deceiving me?"


    "Human? Are you talking to me?" Naruto asked curiously.


    "Despicable human, when I get out, I¡¯ll tear you to pieces!"


    "It seems you still don''t understand the current situation, Kurama." Naruto looked up with a smile and suddenly pointed at Kyubi.


    "What do you want to do?"


    "Haha, I was just trying to scare you. Look how frightened you are." Naruto grinned.


    "Damn it! Are you mocking me?"


    Kyubi roared in fury, seemingly ready to unleash another wave of red Chakra.


    But this time, Naruto''s expression changed instantly, the smile on his face disappeared, reced by a serious look. He pointed at Kyubi and said, "Bind him."


    As his words fell, the red cage bars suddenly shrank inward at a rapid speed, rapidlypressing Kyubi¡¯s movement space.


    "Roar!!!"


    "Damn it! What have you done! Aahh!!!¡±


    Kyubi''s roar echoed as the red cage bars were struck violently, making loud bangs.


    [Four Symbols Seal, max level.]


    Naruto stood calmly, patiently waiting for Kyubi¡¯s anger to subside. It was a while until the sealed space was quiet once more.


    "Human¡­"


    "I''ll be back, Kurama. I hope that next time, we can have a pleasant conversation." Naruto said, his consciousness flickered and he left the seal space directly.


    In a sh, Naruto stood in the hallway. The heavy rain outside had almost stopped. He reached into his pocket, trying to find his apartment key.


    As he pulled out the keys, he suddenly heard footstepsing up the stairs from the other end of the corridor, and it seemed that there was more than one person.


    After what happened just now, Naruto furrowed his brows and stared at the entrance of the corridor.


    "Naruto!"


    A girl''s bright and melodious voice starkly contrasted with the death and blood. Her jade-like neck moved with her sakura-pink hair, so white it was almost dazzling.


    Sakura walked out from the hallway with a smile, waving at Naruto from afar. The post-rain golden sunlight filtered through her hair.


    Following behind him were two people, thezy Kakashi and the icy-faced Sasuke.


    "Yo, Naruto." Kakashi had been to Naruto¡¯s house before, but this was the first time he used the front door, so he seemed somewhat unfamiliar with it.


    For some reason, Anbu¡¯s members liked appearing on rooftops or outside windows, ces animals usually prefer. It¡¯s no wonder they wore animal masks.


    Sasuke stared straight ahead at the blond boy who was about to open the door. His gaze stopped at his smooth forehead without the forehead protector, and he said with a tone of disdain mixed with regret, "Tsk."


    "Sakura? Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke? Why are you here?" Naruto¡¯s hand was behind his back, ready to activate the Four Symbols Seal at any moment.


    "That Chunin Exams," Sakura said loudly, mustering her courage, "We all want to take part in it together with you, Naruto!"


    "Huh?"


    Naruto tilted his head, his hand behind his back slowly rxing.


    ¡­


    The Root¡¯s underground office.


    "Danzo-sama, the mission failed. Isata is dead."


    A Root Shinobi wearing a blue patterned mask knelt on one knee, while Danzo, with his right eye bandaged, sat solemnly in front of his desk without saying a word.


    "Dead?" Danzo asked sullenly, "What about the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki?"


    "He¡­"


    "Speak!" Danzo stared at the Shinobi and said dissatisfiedly.


    The Shinobi, who was half-kneeling on the ground, suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and answered mechanically, "The Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki swallowed Isata."


    "Swallowed?"


    "It''s a Sealing Technique!" The Root Shinobi responded truthfully, "It should be the Four Symbols Seal of the Uzumaki n. Isata was sucked into the seal."


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    Danzo tapped the table and coldly spoke, "Go tell Sandaime that the Jinchuriki Qualification Test Experiment has failed and the target exceeds the Root¡¯s containment value."


    "Temporarily set the vition level to: 7."


    In the Root, everyone had to obey Danzo''s orders absolutely and never ask any questions. The Root Shinobi acknowledged themand and disappeared immediately.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Sandaime was smoking his pipe with a serious expression, his brows tightly furrowed. He was looking at two reports on his desk.


    One report was the mission failure test result from Root, and the other was a collective request submitted by Team 7 to restore Naruto''s eligibility for the Chunin Exams.


    The form not only contained requests from Sakura and Sasuke but also an unexpected ountability statement from Kakashi,plete with handprints and signatures.


    "Hokage-sama, this..." The The Hokage¡¯s guard, Raido, stood by with a simrly grim expression, "The power of the Jinchuriki has already exceeded the vige''s control."


    "It hasn''t reached that point yet." Sandaime exhaled a puff of white smoke. His face was withered like tree bark, but his eyes were sharp like a hawk''s.


    "Kakashi mentioned Naruto¡¯s Jutsu in the mission report from the Land of Waves, describing it as scorchingva. That''s a fusion of Earth and Fire Chakra Attributes into Lava Release, used by Yonbi¡¯s Jinchuriki from the Land of Earth."


    "Yonbi¡­ Jinchuriki?" Raido was a little surprised, ¡°How could Naruto use the Jutsu of the Yonbi¡¯s Jinchuriki from the Land of Earth?"


    "I don''t know." Sandaime said seriously, "I initially wanted to test whether Naruto had been reced by someone else in the Land of Waves, possibly by the recently appeared self-proimed Shinobi God."


    "Naruto''s recent behavior is very strange, with inexplicable wealth and power... but only the members of the Uzumaki n can use the Four Symbols Seal, and only Naruto can contain the Kyubi..."


    As he spoke, Sandaime let out another helpless sigh, closed his eyes and gave instructions, "Order the Anbu to cease the surveince on the Jinchuriki."


    "But¡­ Hokage-sama, wouldn''t it be too dangerous if the Jinchuriki is not supervised?"


    "After all¡­" Raido looked at the report from the Root, where it clearly stated.


    [Vition Level: 7]


    "Hokage-sama, there are only 10 vition levels, right?" Raido swallowed hard, "But even Kyubi¡¯s danger level is only 6."


    "The Four Symbols Seal is a very dangerous Sealing Technique that can seal the Kyubi and even any object." Sandaime exined in a deep voice.


    "The people at Root always like to exaggerate the facts and always ignore individual human beings. But humans have emotions, and weapons can be controlled."


    "Sunshine, flowers, bonds of friendship, budding love, recognition from the vige¡­ These are the best ways to contain a weapon."

 Chapter 43 The Blue Beast of Konoha

    Chapter 43 The Blue Beast of Konoha


    The summer is hot and the cicadas are chirping.


    "Ah~" Naruto yawned sleepily while squatting on the tree.


    Kakashi had promised him a personal training session, but the sun was already high in the sky and he still hadn''t shown up. Just as Naruto was contemting ditching the session, Kakashi finally arrived.


    "Yo, Naruto." Kakashi greeted with a cheerful smile, looking up at Naruto in the tree without any hint of guilt for beingte.


    "Are you wearing your forehead protector properly?"


    "Yes."


    "That''s good. The forehead protector is the lifeblood of a Shinobi." Kakashi exined with a smile.


    "Especially during missions, Shinobi will only take off their forehead protectors when they die. So normally, Shinobi won''t take the initiative to take off their forehead protectors, as it''s not auspicious."


    "Neh, Kakashi-sensei."


    "Hmm?"


    "Has Hokage-sama agreed to me taking the Chunin Exams?" Naruto asked hesitantly.


    "He agreed."


    "Really?"


    "Of course it''s true." Kakashi''s eye narrowed into a line with a smile, "Otherwise, why would I ask you to do special training?"


    "You have just be a Genin and need further guidance from a Jonin before you can handle the Chunin Exams. Sakura and Sasuke have alreadypleted their training, and now it''s just you, Naruto."


    "Alright!"


    "Naruto, don''t be happy so early." Kakashi nced at Naruto with one eye and warned, "Training can be very tough."


    "It''s okay, Kakashi-sensei, I can handle it!" Naruto said excitedly, "Let''s start right away!"


    To be honest, he didn''t want to train at all.


    However, considering that his recent antics had attracted the Root, Naruto decided to restrain himself a bit.


    "Okay, then go report to Guy-sensei." Kakashi said with a cough.


    "What!!!"


    Naruto was dumbfounded, ¡®Training with Might Guy? Oh my god¡­ There¡¯s outsourcing in this world too?¡¯


    "Cough, cough, the only area you need to improve is Taijutsu." Kakashi scratched his head and said seriously, "Sakura alsopleted her training with the medical team."


    "Huh?"


    Naruto held his head, giving Kakashi a bewildered look, simr to Psyduck''s confused stare, not fully trusting what he was saying.


    "Alright, I¡¯m quite busy, you know that."


    Naruto: ¡°¡­¡±


    Watching Naruto leave, Kakashi stood with his hands in his pockets. The image of Sandaime¡¯s old face, standing in front of the window, smoking a pipe and talking, shed through his mind.


    "The original purpose of the Jinchuriki is to protect the vige, Kakashi. It''s not a good thing for Naruto to be too powerful."


    "One more thing¡­ Jiraiya has returned to the vige. Kakashi, after the training, leave Naruto to Jiraiya."


    The decision was already made, and Kakashi had no room for objections.


    After standing in the sunlight for a while, Kakashi soon turned around and left as well.


    ¡­


    "Yoohoo! The Blue Beast of Konoha is here!"


    "Burn! Youth!~"


    Two green-d watermelon-headed Shinobi, one big and one small, leaped across each other and performed the Leaf Whirlwind in mid-air, putting on a passionate entrance show!


    Naruto was left speechless, Neji stood expressionless, and Tenten massaged her forehead in exasperation.


    Initially, it was Guy who insisted on having Lee assist him in making an impression on Naruto, resulting in this cringe-worthy scene.


    Afternding, Guy approached Naruto and asked with his big white teeth showing.


    "So, Naruto, how was that? Cool, right?"


    "Super cool! Please teach me Taijutsu, Might Guy-sensei!"


    "Naruto, I like kids with a keen eye like you!" Guyughed heartily, crouching down, his dazzling white teeth reflecting the light.


    Neji, unable to stand it anymore, turned and left. He usually trained alone, and Guy would asionally give him guidance on Taijutsu.


    Tenten smiled at Naruto, waved, and left as well, considering she had already introduced herself.


    "Yosha!" Guy shouted enthusiastically, looking at his disciple Lee and Naruto, and then said, "Run 500ps around Konoha. If you can''t finish it, do 500 one-finger push-ups!"


    What else could Naruto say? He could onlyply tearfully.


    "Wait! Naruto, do you know the secret to bing stronger in Taijutsu?" Guy suddenly asked.


    Hearing this, Naruto was stunned for a second, ¡®Why was I being tested out of the blue?¡¯


    "Is it hard work?" Naruto asked tentatively.


    "No!"


    Guy raised his index finger and shook it, then he magically took out a green, tight-fitting outfit from his pocket!


    ¡®What the hell¡­???¡¯


    Staring at the bright green outfit, Naruto gulped and looked up to the sky with tears in his eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wear it!¡¯


    ¡®The suffering and mental damage don¡¯t matter. Just grit your teeth and do it for the sake of cool Taijutsu!¡¯


    ¡®Just go for it, I don¡¯t believe that I can¡¯t trigger the system options!¡¯


    So, after running 500ps, Naruto was exhausted, with his eyes vacant, also muttering strange words like Halloween.


    "Naruto, how are you?" Guy asked as he looked down at Naruto, who was lying on the ground foaming at the mouth.


    "Guy-sensei!" Lee, standing nearby, said energetically, "Naruto must haveprehended the power of Youth!"


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    In response, Naruto stretched out his trembling hand and tried to shout for help, with his thumb half-clenched and turned outward as if he was giving a thumbs-up.


    Upon seeing this, both Guy and Lee¡¯s faces tensed instantly. After they nced at each other for a moment, hey hugged each other with tears in their eyes.


    "Lee! Naruto is the true spirit of passionate Youth!" Guy shouted with tears in his eyes, "It''s so touching!"


    "Sensei! I will definitely surpass Naruto!"


    "Yes! Let''s start now!" Guy said, pointing ahead with great pride, "Walk 500ps around the vige on your hands! If you can¡¯t do it, it will be 3,000 push-ups!"


    Under the setting sun, therge and small Blue Beasts of Konoha walked away on their hands, leaving Naruto lying on the ground, who is already thinking about dinner.


    There was the sound of footsteps, and suddenly, Naruto felt someone stopped beside him and he opened his eyes to look.


    It waste in the evening, but that familiar blonde hair stood out.


    Ino, who has the same hairstyle as Deidara¡¯s, leaned over and looked at Naruto with a frown, as if she was hesitating about something. Naruto suddenly opened his eyes, which startled her directly.


    "Ah! The corpse is alive!"


    "Damn it! I''m not dead!" Naruto shouted angrily.


    The red sunset clouds painted half of Konoha with a fiery hue. Ino''s face was tinged with a bashful red, making her look a bit shy.


    "What are you wearing?" Ino asked with disgust.


    "Training gear."


    "That green color is so gross."


    "¡­ Just shut up." Naruto was speechless. Of course he knew that the clothes were tacky, but even after he had gone to such lengths, there¡¯s still no response from the system!


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯


    ¡®Stupid system!¡¯


    [Ding!]


    A mechanical voice suddenly rang out, and Naruto''s expression changed.

 Chapter 44 Flying Thunder God and Ino

    Chapter 44 Flying Thunder God and Ino


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    [Option 1: Perform one-handed handstand push-ups in front of Ino and say the words ¡®My Youth is burning¡¯, and get her praise. Reward: Flying Thunder God Technique (Iplete)]


    [Option 2: Confess to Ino right now and obtain her consent. Reward: Eight Gates Technique (Immortal Version)]


    The moment the panel popped up, Naruto''s breathing became heavier.


    With a sudden motion, Naruto grabbed Ino¡¯s hand tightly.


    "Naruto what are you doing?"


    "Ino!"


    "What?"


    Ino was a little confused by Naruto''s move and her mind went nk, but the hand that Naruto grabbed seemed to be captured by a powerful mp and she couldn''t move at all.


    "Don''t go!"


    Naruto was panicking, fearing that Ino would walk away. At this moment, whaty before Naruto was no longer some worthless trivial rewards.


    ¡®Damn, it¡¯s the damage-free version of the Eight Gates Technique!¡¯


    ¡®If I get this, wouldn''t I be able to walk through the Shinobi World unchallenged in the future? I¡¯ll live a life of punching Uchiha Madara and kicking Otsutsuki as I please!!!¡¯


    Naruto suddenly realized he had to marry Ino for this bright future.


    "Naruto, you¡¯re hurtingme!" Ino said angrily, trying to shake off Naruto''s hand.


    "Sorry, Ino."


    Ino¡¯s words were like a ssh of cold water, instantly clearing Naruto''s mind.


    ¡®What was I thinking? Why did I suddenly be confused?¡¯


    ¡®That was Ino, how could she possibly ept my confession?¡¯


    ¡®Not to mention that our rtionship was clearly just that of acquaintances. Even if she didn¡¯t dislike me, she definitely didn¡¯t have any special feelings for me.¡¯


    ¡®So embarrassing¡­ I was instantly bewitched and lost his mind by the rewards.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m like a cat lured by a small fish,pletely ignoring the height between myself and the cab. If my eyes were only on the fish, trying to grab it would only lead to the cab toppling over!¡¯


    Ino rubbed her red hand in annoyance, then recalled Naruto''s heavy breathing and the momentary intense look in his eyes, and a strange feeling suddenly shed through her heart.


    ¡®Naruto?¡¯


    ¡®Did he really want to see me?¡¯


    Shaking her head, Ino quickly dismissed this absurd notion, ¡®How could that be possible? Naruto is just an arrogant guy who likes to y tricks on people.¡¯


    ¡®By the way, why did I go out?¡¯


    ¡®My training was over, my mom was tending the shop, my dad was summoned by Hokage-sama again, and I was left alone at home with nothing to do.¡¯


    ¡®Suddenly having some free time, I felt empty inside, so I went out for a walk. I just happened to run into Naruto running around the vige, so I sat in the dango shop and waited.¡¯


    ¡®Why would I wait?¡¯


    Ino''s heart was beating wildly, and she forgot the purpose ofing here. She looked at Naruto lying on the ground in front of her with a painful expression, and her expression was a little dazed.


    "How are you?" Ino asked.


    "I''m fine." Naruto struggled to stand up, spit out the foam in his mouth, looked at Ino and smiled, and then said, "I''m training with Might Guy-sensei."


    "I can see that." Ino nced at Naruto''s green tights and mocked him openly, "It''s so hideous!"


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Naruto thought to himself, ¡®It was a good thing that I didn¡¯t impulsively choose the second option, otherwise, wouldn¡¯t I be mocked for the rest of my life?¡¯


    ¡®One shouldn¡¯t be driven solely by desire, it¡¯s better keep our feet on the ground.¡¯


    "Ino, why are you here?"


    "Training is over." Ino answered casually, and actually felt her heart calm down a little bit.


    "I happened to see you three running around and got curious."


    "That scene must have been hrious, right?" Naruto asked somewhat awkwardly. He could imagine himself cringing inside his apartmentter.


    "Not really." Ino''s expression suddenly became serious, thinking for a moment before continuing, "Everyone has their own path as a Shinobi. Anyone who works hard towards their life''s direction should not beughed at."


    Hearing this, Naruto was also stunned.


    He suddenly realized something. Perhaps because they hadn¡¯t interacted much, he had never truly looked at Ino properly.


    It should be said that Ino''s emotional intelligence is far beyond that of her peers. She is a gentle yet strong person.


    When she said, ¡®Anyone who works hard towards their life''s direction¡¯, it didn''t seem out of ce.


    With this thought in mind, Naruto immediately rxed and stopped thinking about that option, then said with a smile, "Thank you, Ino."


    "Naruto, are you possessed? Why are you suddenly talking like this? It¡¯s... a bit unsettling." Ino turned her head away inexplicably, avoiding Naruto¡¯s gaze.


    "Sometimes I can be sincere too, you know?" Naruto said speechlessly.


    "Are you stupid?"


    "Stop pointing out the obvious. I¡¯ve heard that at least ten times today." Naruto said, pulling at his green tights.


    "Want some dango?" Ino suddenly suggested.


    "I don''t like dango." Naruto blurted out without thinking.


    "Then forget it."


    Ino pretended to put on a stern face for a moment. It was just a bit of yful banter between friends, and Naruto knew she wasn¡¯t really angry.


    "No, that''s because I''ve never tried them, and if you treat me, I''d like to try it," Naruto said.


    "You are obviously very rich, right? Why do you want me to treat you?" Ino frowned and looked at Naruto, questioning, "Last time I saw you, you¡¯re eating barbecue with a little girl."


    In fact, it was not she who saw it, but Choji who saw it when he passed by the barbecue restaurant. She only learned this fact from Choji, but by the time it reached her mouth, it naturally became something she had witnessed.


    "Uh¡­" Narutoughed awkwardly, scratched his head and said, "Then I''ll treat you."


    "Hmph."


    That ¡®hmph¡¯ was filled with spirit, and Naruto was momentarily at a loss for words, ¡®Should I... justplete the task?¡¯


    "Cough." Naruto coughed and said to Ino with a yful grin, "Ino, let me show you a new move I¡¯ve learned."


    "What?" Ino looked at Naruto.


    Naruto did a one-handed handstand push-up, his exhausted body trembling. Despite this, he gritted his teeth and shouted, "My Youth is burning!"


    "How... how is it? Ino?"


    The voice squeezed out through clenched teeth left Ino stunned. Seeing Naruto''s extremely forced and expectant smile, she thought Naruto was trying to make meugh, but her nose felt sore and she almost cried.


    "Are you stupid?"


    With a thud, Naruto copsed to the ground, covered in dust.


    He was almost at his limit just now, and was only focused on hearing what Ino said, so he didn''t even notice her suddenly thickened nasal tone.


    Naruto¡¯s eyes turned back to their usual lifeless look as hey on the ground, staring at the sky, mumbling, "It''s over, not a praise.¡±


    [Ding! Flying Thunder God Technique (Iplete) sessfully granted.]

 Chapter 45 Kurama, I Want Freedom

    Chapter 45 Kurama, I Want Freedom


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    Naruto quickly jumped back to life, looking at Ino with tears of gratitude in his eyes.


    ¡®Ino, you¡¯re the best!¡¯


    "Are you okay?" Ino''s face was full of worry.


    "I¡¯m fine."


    Naruto smiled and waved his hand nonchntly.


    "Let''s go get some dango, my treat." Ino said, holding her forehead in exasperation.


    As they talked, the two walked into the dango shop. Dango are sweets and very popr among girls, so the ce was quite crowded.


    When Naruto, dressed in his green tights, walked into the dango shop, everyone''s eyes turned to him. Fortunately, the attention didn''tst long, and soon everyone went back to their own business.


    "Naruto, do you know what Sasuke has been up totely?" Ino asked casually while eating her dango.


    "I''m not sure. I think he''s training with Kakashi-sensei."


    "Oh."


    Their conversation continued sporadically, and as night fell, they each went their separate ways. Naruto''s home was not far from the Yamanaka Flower Shop, so they naturally walked part of the way together.


    Konoha''s streets were brightly lit, exuding a peaceful atmosphere.


    Naruto had gained the Flying Thunder God Technique, which was undoubtedly a great asset to him.


    Considering the uing Chunin Exams, the most troublesome opponent might be Shino and his Kikaichu. Naruto wasn''t sure if the tuberculosis-stricken Gekko Hayate would die at Baki¡¯s hands, and he is not sure whether the exam matchups would change.


    He still needs to learn about the specific situation first.


    What he knew now is that Orochimaru willunch the Konoha Crush n during this Chunin Exams, and gave hickeys on Sasuke''s neck. Sandaime will die, Gekko Hayate will die, and the streets of Konoha would be destroyed.


    The night breeze was cool, and Ino continued to chat about various things.


    Naruto asionally responded, thinking about something.


    "You don''t need to be nervous. Since you were the top graduate in our ss, as long as you don''t face the Hyuga n¡¯s genius, you should be fine." Ino, wearing a brown short-sleeve shirt and a golden ponytail tied behind her head, said whatever she thought.


    "Ino, you¡¯re actually pretty kind." Naruto remarked out of nowhere.


    "Why would you say that?"


    "You''re very good at considering others." Naruto scratched his head and said sincerely, "My usual impression of you is that you¡¯re bold and carefree, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so thoughtful and understanding."


    "What do you mean by ¡®didn¡¯t expect¡¯?" Inoined somewhat dissatisfiedly, "After all, we are allrades from the same vige. Isn''t it natural to help each other?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s true." Naruto smiled, dropping the subject.


    At the street corner, Naruto waved to Ino and they said goodbye to each other.


    After returning home, Naruto simply flopped onto the couch.


    The living room was dimly lit, and the Anbu¡¯s surveince had been withdrawn. For now, Naruto was temporarily free.


    It was like finally having his shackles removed and being allowed to breathe freely.


    Unlike other viges that continuously develop the potential of their Jinchuriki, Konoha seems to be consciously limiting the development of their Jinchuriki''s strength. Naruto guessed that it might be because Konohacked a strong person who could suppress the Kyubi. After all, if the Jinchuriki lost control, the damage to the vige would be unimaginable.


    Compared to using Kyubi¡¯s power, Konoha obviously prefer to contain it.


    The Root Shinobi who was swallowed by Kyubi did not leave any valuable information, leaving Naruto unable to investigate further. But he could probably guess that it was Danzo¡¯s doing, likely with the high-ups'' tacit approval.


    With a thought, Naruto closed his eyes.


    Drip.


    Drip.


    He opened his eyes, and the surrounding environment instantly changed from an exquisitely decorated living room to a dark and damp sewer.


    In the darkness, a pair ofntern-sized eyes opened.


    Within the small cage, Kyubi¡¯s enormous body exuded an oppressive presence. The water in the sewer rippled continuously, and the next second, Kyubi roared uncontrobly, shaking the entire seal space.


    "Hello again, Kurama."


    Naruto stepped on the puddle, and ripples appeared under his feet, expanding outward from him. The dim yellow light enveloped the entire seal space, providing just enough illumination to see.


    "Human¡­"


    Kyubi¡¯s voice was filled with rage. His hatred for Naruto had not diminished over time, but had be stronger instead. However, he learned his lesson this time, and except for the roar at the beginning, he did not continue to make trouble.


    "Do you hate me?" Naruto asked, looking up.


    "And what if I do?" Kyubi said with bared teeth, disdaining to lie.


    "I know why you hate me. It''s simply because I deprived you of your freedom." Naruto said calmly as he looked up at Kyubi, who loomed like a mountain. His expression was steady, devoid of unnecessary emotion.


    "Isn''t that right? I''ve been trapped in this dark, sunless seal for over a decade! How could I not hate you?"


    "I didn''t choose to be a Jinchuriki either." Naruto said, "Who wants to be a container? But no one has ever asked for my opinion."


    "That''s your business, human!"


    Kyubi was somewhat annoyed, and he did not want to argue about this matter. As far as he was concerned, he was the real victim, and he didn¡¯t care about the greedy, despicable humans'' actions or words.


    Naruto was silent for a moment before continuing.


    "The situation now is that without you, I would die. But without me, you wouldn¡¯t die. This isn''t fair."


    "Fair? Human, who cares if you live or die?" Kyubi said sinisterly, "If you die, I will indeed be free. If you don''t want to live, let me know in advance. I¡¯d be happy to help."


    "Don''t worry, I will do everything to survive. Even if it means using Forbidden Techniques, Kurama." Naruto raised his head and looked at Kyubi seriously, as if making a vow, "I will imprison you, constantly reinforce the seal, and torture you forever."


    ¡°Believe that I can do it, just as I can now use the Four Symbols Seal."


    Naruto''s words, spoken with such determination, as he looked at him sent chills down Kyubi¡¯s spine. It even reminded him of the painful memories of being imprisoned by the previous two Jinchuriki.


    ¡®If this human really didn''t die...¡¯


    "Are you a lunatic?" Kyubipletely lost hisposure and red at Naruto fiercely.


    On the other hand, Naruto smiled when he heard that, his smile was bright and sunny.


    "If I''m unhappy, I''ll beat everyone until they cry!"


    "That¡¯s my ninja way, to say and do what I mean!"


    Kyubi waspletely disgusted by Naruto, and was still brooding over Naruto''s threat.


    He thought to himself, ¡®Damn it, in all his centuries of existence, he had never encountered such a dark-hearted Jinchuriki, this human is really weird! Who knows where this brat learned the Four Symbols Seal from? The current situation is extremely unfavorable for me.¡¯


    "What do you want?" Kyubi''s tone turned resigned, "This won''t do you any good, will it?"


    Naruto nodded and said, ¡°Kurama, I want freedom."

 Chapter 46 Garen With Last Whisper

    Chapter 46 Garen With Last Whisper


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    "Freedom?" Kyubi snorted, releasing a puff of white air from his nostrils in disdain, "Compared to me, you already enjoy more than enough freedom. How about you try staying in this sunless cage?"


    "Kurama, don''t you get it yet?"


    Naruto extended his hand, and several red tendrils suddenly emerged from the ground, intertwining to form a tform. As the tendrils rose, Naruto was lifted into the air, meeting Kyubi¡¯s gaze on equal footing.


    "I will let you go, but only if I don''t die."


    "You''re going to let me go?" Kyubi''s eyes widened in shock, staring at Naruto incredulously, "Human, why¡­?"


    "I know you are very powerful, Kurama." Naruto said calmly, "The vige needs your strength, but I don''t care about that. I want freedom and to live the life I want."


    "From the moment I became a Jinchuriki, it wasn''t just you who was imprisoned, I was too."


    "I don''t want to give my life for this corrupt vige or be its ve."


    "Then why not destroy this vige altogether?" Kyubi said fiercely, "Damn Konoha Vige! They''ve imprisoned me for over half a century!"


    "Human, why don''t we join forces and destroy this vigepletely?"


    "No." Naruto refused outright.


    "Why?" Kyubi was puzzled, "Don''t you hate the vige?"


    "I don''t hate it." Naruto shook his head.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t hate it. He had only been in this world for a few days. He felt dissatisfaction toward the vige, but it¡¯s far from hatred. As for the matter between Minato and Kushina, what did it have to do with him? He hade to realize that as long as he was a Jinchuriki, he would never be free.


    The vige would remain the same. As long as he doesn''t be the Jinchuriki, anyone can do it. He doesn''t care.


    "I''ve said before, I want freedom, but I don''t want to be a ve to freedom." Naruto shook his head and said, "People will eventually be ves to something because of the obsession in their hearts."


    "But I''m already so rich and powerful. I''d rather indulge in beauty and fine wine, living life as I please, than y the hero."


    Kyubi was stunned. He looked at Naruto with some confusion and asked.


    "Human, don''t you crave power?"


    "Kurama, your power is too weak for me." Naruto said bluntly.


    "What did you say?"


    "I''m not interested."


    "Do you hear yourself?" Kyubi was visibly a little unsettled, "Kid, all the Bijubined aren''t a match for me, and you call me weak?"


    "Stop wasting time on such trivial matters." Naruto said impatiently, " Kurama, let me ask you¡­ Do you want to get out?"


    "Of course I do."


    "That''s good. When the time is right, I''lle back for you."


    As Naruto said that, he snapped his fingers and the cage returned to its original spacious state.


    "What do you mean, ''when the time is right¡¯?"


    However, Naruto did not answer. His consciousness faded into a phantom, leaving the seal space.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    The rm clock rang, and Naruto groggily sat up in bed, dragging himself to wash up. He wiped the mist off the mirror, forcing a smile.


    As soon as he walked out of the alley, a Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi wearing a bamboo hat suddenly appeared and shouted upon seeing him, "Brat! Go to hell!"


    The Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi shouted like that and lunged at Naruto without hesitation.


    "Wait!" Naruto called out, halting the attack.


    "What?"


    The man actually stopped, forcing augh.


    "What¡¯s this, brat? Begging for mercy won''t help you!"


    Naruto yawned and said nonchntly.


    "Uncle, I was the top graduate of the Academy this year. Your poor Transformation Technique is way too obvious."


    "What nonsense are you talking about, you brat?" Cold sweat broke out on the Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi¡¯s forehead.


    "Even for a Chunin, if you''re not doing dangerous missions, the pay isn''t that great, right? To be honest, I have killed a Jonin from Kirigakure before, and his blood sttering all over me. If you get hurt by me, it will dy your work, which is totally not worth it."


    Naruto waved his hand dismissively and walked towards the disguised Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi without any concern, talking as he walked.


    "Uncle, how much do you earn a month? Why risk your life?"


    "Ah, it''s almost time. I gotta go."


    Naruto passed by the Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi, who did not move and let Naruto leave with cold sweat dripping down his face.


    Only when Naruto''s footsteps faded away did the Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi release his Transformation Technique with a puff, revealing a Konoha¡¯s Chunin. Still shaken, he nced back.


    "What kind of monsters are these Genin nowadays?"


    At the Academy, Team 7 finally got together after many days.


    Sasuke and Sakura looked the same, then Sakura smiled and waved to Naruto.


    "This way, Naruto."


    "Sakura, I''m notte, am I?" Naruto said with a smile.


    Sakura shook her head and said, "I just got here too. Had a bit of trouble on the way."


    "Was it a Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi?"


    "Eh? Naruto, did you meet him too?" Sakura''s eyes widened and she let out a cry of surprise.


    She then nced at Sasuke beside her. Sasuke nced at Sakura and Naruto, and gave a slight nod, indicating he had encountered one as well.


    "It''s probably just another weird test the vige has put together. It''s so boring." Narutoined as he stood there.


    "Did you two get hurt?" Sakura asked worriedly.


    "No." Sasuke replied briefly.


    "Didn''t even fight." Naruto said.


    "Howe?" Sakura was a little surprised, "You didn¡¯t fight? Didn''t the Kirigakure¡¯s Shinobi attack you, Naruto?"


    Hearing this, Sasuke also turned his head and looked at Naruto.


    "No, I asked him how much he earned a month, and he stopped talking."


    Sakura: ¡°¡­¡±


    Sasuke: ¡°¡­¡±


    That¡¯s like Garen with Last Whisper, breaking the silence and the spirit. It was really killing people and destroying their hearts!


    After a while, the other teams arrived at the Academy one after another.


    The Ino-Shika-Cho trio looked listless, and Naruto happened to look at Hinata, who blushed and lowered her head. Ino nced at Naruto, and Naruto happened to meet Ino''s gaze, so he simply went up to talk to the three.


    Sakura noticed this and couldn''t help but be puzzled.


    ¡®It''s been a while since west met. Since when did Naruto get so close with Ino?¡¯


    Sasuke didn''t have the time to care about such boring things. The time to submit their admission form for the Chunin Exams had not yet arrived, so he simply stood there with his eyes closed and rested.


    "Hey, Naruto, you were roped to take part in the Chunin Exams atst minute, right?" Shikamaru askedzily, "I heard Hokage-sama didn''t want you to participate in this Chunin Exams. What''s up with that?"


    "Is there such a thing?" Choji, munching on chips, looked at Naruto in surprise.


    "It''s nothing." Naruto waved his hand and said, "I''m just here to tag along anyway. I never thought about actually getting promoted to Chunin."

 Chapter 47 Strike First

    Chapter 47 Strike First


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    "Your mentality is too bad, isn''t it?" Inoined.


    "I just became a Genin, so I didn''t expect to be a Chunin so quickly." Naruto replied honestly, "The missions for Chunin are more troublesome, right?"


    Ino held her forehead with her hand, at a loss for words.


    Shikamaru, however, agreed with Naruto''s perspective and nodded, "Troublesome things are the worst."


    The exam began, and the first round was a written test.


    Naruto sat beside Hinata, yawning as he nced at the test paper in front of him. The big questions involved physics free fall problems, and the multiple-choice questions were basicmon knowledge.


    If he were to attempt it, he would rely half on guessing and half on luck, but Naruto didn''t even pick up his pen.


    Resting his head on his hand, he closed his eyes and rxed, ¡®It didn''t matter what I wrote on the test. The proctor, that sadistic examiner, would definitelye up with some kind of ¡®Will of Fire¡¯ test to assess the participants¡¯ trust in their teammates.¡¯


    ¡®Boring! Who would be moved to tears by the Will of Fire?¡¯


    The test ended, and as expected, Naruto passed the first round of the Chunin Exams with a nk paper. The principle of the written test selection is very simple, and it can be summed up in six words: Never give up, never give up.


    Naruto did nothing and smoothly advanced to the second round.


    Mitarashi Anko burst into the exam hall, her fis undershirt visible beneath her trench coat. There was no sign of weight gain on her face, and she is still exuding the youthful vibe of cogen.


    "You guys, this is just the first round! What''s there to be happy about?"


    "There''s no time to prepare for you. The second round will begin at the Training Ground 44 in twenty minutes!"


    After saying that, Anko disappeared in a puff of smoke.


    Sighs and murmurs filled the room as the participants, bewildered and helpless, got up and headed towards the Training Ground 44.


    "Hinata, let''s go." Kiba, with Akamaru on his head, called out to Hinata from a distance.


    "Okay."


    Hinata responded and then, blushing, turned to Naruto and softly said, "Naruto-kun, I''ll go ahead."


    "Okay, see you, Hinata." Naruto waved and said.


    "Naruto! Over here, we''re going to bete." Sakura stood at the door, urging him.


    "Coming."


    ¡­


    Outside the Forest of Death, Naruto noticed that Kabuto in the distance seemed to be staring at him. To be more precise, his eyes were asionally ncing at Sasuke.


    "That guy wearing sses over there is quite strange. He might be a traitor of our Konoha." Naruto was a little displeased. So without any hesitation, he pointed his finger directly in Kabuto¡¯s direction and said loudly, "Don''t those people in the Anbu check the participants¡¯ backgrounds carefully?"


    This abruptment directly attracted the attention of all the participants present, and the three members of Team 7 immediately became the focus of the audience.


    "Naruto, what are you talking about?"


    Sakura lowered her head and dared not look around. Her face turned red for a moment as she said in a low voice.


    "I¡¯m not making things up." Naruto also lowered his voice, secretly pulled his two teammates closer, and said in a voice that only the three of them could hear, "Be careful of those Shinobi from Otogakure."


    He didn''t say much, just giving his twopanions a heads-up.


    Sensing themotion, Anko, the head examiner, walked over to Naruto and said, "Participants are prohibited from disrupting the exam venue!"


    After reprimanding him, she turned to the participants and announced, "Those who haven''t received their scrolls yet,e over and get them from me. The rule for this round is to obtain both Heaven and Earth Scrolls and reach the tower in the center of the Forest of Death within five days. Otherwise, you fail."


    "Please note that if a team member dies or loses the ability to fight during the process, the team will be considered fail. In addition, no one is allowed to open the scrolls."


    "If you understand,e over here and get the scroll. Time is tight, so move quickly!"


    With Anko''s urging, the tense atmosphere eased a bit, and no one paid further attention to Naruto''s words.


    Naruto snorted, nced in Kabuto¡¯s direction, and then went to get his scroll.


    With a sharp creak, the rusty iron gate of Training Ground 44 slowly opened. The participants who received the scrolls filed in one after another, tacitly choosing different directions to move forward. Some of them followed the team they had been eyeing for a long time.


    Team 7 randomly chose a direction and walked for a while before hiding in a bush to discuss the most important issue at the moment: Who would hold the scroll?


    The exam rules were as follows: Half of the 26 participating teams had a Heaven Scroll, and the other half had an Earth Scroll. To pass, a team must collect both scrolls and reach the central tower in the Forest of Death without any team member being killed or severely injured within five days.


    In this case, deciding who would keep the scroll is a very important matter.


    "Sakura, you should hold it," Naruto said.


    "Me?" Sakura was visibly flustered, "But what if I lose it?"


    "It''s okay. If there is really no other way, just hand over the scroll to the enemies." Naruto said, "Sasuke and I can take care of ourselves. You have a guarantee if you hold the scroll. This is just a test. There is no need to risk our lives for it."


    "But¡­"


    "No buts." Naruto said, waving his hand dismissively, "I have a feeling something''s off about this Chunin Exams. You two should be careful. If you encounter a powerful enemy, you can just drop the scroll and run away."


    Sasuke sensed the hidden meaning in Naruto''s words and couldn''t help but frown and asked, "You''re nning to act alone?"


    "What?" Sakura waspletely bewildered.


    They had just signed a death waiver before entering the exam hall, acknowledging that no one would intervene even if they died in the Forest of Death. Now that Naruto was talking about going alone, wouldn''t that mean there would only be two people left in Team 7?


    "Yes." Naruto nodded, then looked at the two of them seriously and said, "I need to take care of something. Just wait for me."


    "Are you joking?" Sasuke said, "Wouldn''t it be more convenient for three of us to act together than for you to act alone?"


    "Don''t worry about this." Naruto smiled and said, "I promise I wille back to find you before dark. It will be inconvenient for the three of us to go together."


    Hearing this, Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other.


    "You''re going to snatch a scroll, right?" Sasuke said, frowning and asking, "Before entering this ce, you told us to be careful of Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, so you''ve been targeting them from the start, haven''t you?"


    "Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi?"


    Sakura was shocked, and then her face turned to worry as she realized what was happening.


    "I''ll exin when I get back." Naruto said, then leaped away.


    After leaving Sasuke and Sakura 7, Naruto''s expression turned cold, and his eyes were filled with indifference. Those three Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi were a constant threat, and they would eventuallye for Sasuke.


    Instead of waiting passively, it was better to strike first and settle these troubles as soon as possible so that they can spend the rest of their time here in peace.

 Chapter 48 Of Course It’s Danzo’s Fault

    Chapter 48 Of Course It¡¯s Danzo¡¯s Fault


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    Training Ground 44.


    The deep forest was so dense that it blocked out the sunlight, making it cool even in the afternoon.


    Bang!


    "Who hit me?" A Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi, who was lying on the huge tree trunk, rubbed the back of his head and shouted, "Hosetsu, ying a prank at this time is too much!"


    "What nonsense are you talking about! How can I hit you when I''m so far away from you?"


    Bang bang!


    "Will you ever stop?"


    This time, no one responded, and the surroundings fell into dead silence.


    "Hosetsu? Akumu?"


    "Hey! The scroll is with you, right?" A strange voice came from the treetops.


    The Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi¡¯s pupils widened instantly, his breathing became rapid, and his muscles tensed as he leaped back.


    "Who?"


    Afternding, the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi nervously scanned the surroundings, but saw no one.


    "Where are you looking, idiot?" An extremely impatient and disdainful voice came from above the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi.


    "What?"


    The Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi looked up, his heart beating wildly.


    Standing not far from him in the shadow of the tree canopy was a figure wearing a white animal mask. d in a yellow robe, ck pants, with tactical gloves that left the fingers exposed, and carrying a nodachi on his back. The figure''s eyes were glowing ominously through the mask''s eye holes.


    "You!" The Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi shouted in panic, "What happened to my two teammates?"


    "What did you do to them?"


    "I kill them." Naruto replied expressionlessly.


    The outfit Naruto wore was from the Root Shinobi Kyubi swallowed in the seal space. Since Kyubi didn¡¯t need clothes, Naruto decided to make use of them.


    "You¡¯re not a participant! Are you from Konoha going to break the rules of the exam?"


    "So what?" Naruto replied in a nonchnt tone, "Small Shinobi Viges shouldn¡¯t even be participating in Chunin Exams. Be smart and hand over the scroll, then get lost."


    As soon as the words fell, the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi didn''t even see any movement from the masked man opposite him, and just felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and fainted immediately.


    Naruto crouched down, rummaging through the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi¡¯s belongings until he finally found the scroll.


    "Heaven Scroll, a duplicate." Naruto murmured. Nevertheless, he tucked the scroll into his robe and swiftly left the scene momentster.


    The three Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi were not dead, they had merely passed out. It was not that Naruto was unwilling to kill them, but he simply saw no need to kill them. After all, if their blood sttered on him, it would make it easier for enemy to detect his presence.


    Moreover, Naruto hadn''t specifically targeted the three Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi. He had just happened to pass by and obtained a minor task.


    [Ding, the Lightning Release Ninjutsu''s Lightning Strike sessfully granted.]


    Lightning Strike was a minor technique in Lightning Release, and it¡¯s somewhat useless to Naruto. However, he happened to becking in Lightning Release Ninjutsu, so he spent ten minutespleting the task and took the scroll, receiving a reward in the end.


    d in a pale yellow robe, Naruto dashed through the forest, stepping on tree trunks without restraint as he continued his search.


    ¡®After careful observation, it seems that none of the participants taking part in the Chunin Exams this time can fight.¡¯


    Orochimaru''s current vessel is ipatible and thus he cannot fully utilize his original power. As for Gaara, he can basically be ignored. In order to cooperate with the Konoha Crush n, Sunagakure will definitely make sure Gaara hold back.


    There are two reasons why Naruto insisted on dealing with the three Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi this time. First, he wanted to take the initiative to eliminate potential threats. Second, he clearly remembered that the three Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi held the Earth Scroll. Since the Chunin Exams allowed casualties, things became simpler.


    The Death Forest will bepletely sealed off for five days. Unless there¡¯s an emergency such as Orochimaru''s invasion urs, in which case Konoha''s Anbu would temporarily intervene.


    From the moment he entered the Forest of Death, Orochimaru''s target was only Sasuke.


    But considering that Uncle Snake, who loves giving hickeys, doesn''t have any real malicious intent, Naruto decided to leave directly, intending to deal with the three Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi first before rejoining Sasuke and Sakura. The advantage of doing so is to avoid being in a passive situation. As for Sasuke''s safety¡­ it''s


    just a hickey, no big deal.


    Sasuke would be hungry if he stayed in Konoha, and following Uncle Snake is the path he would eventually take.


    In short, the people of the Uchiha n were very strange. Naruto wondered why Itachi wanted to exterminate the n, and what was the point of leaving Sasuke behind.


    If Itachi was already so powerful, why not take Sasuke and teach him himself? In the end, it''s all about n revenge, vige revenge, and then indiscriminate revenge. Everyone is seeking revenge, like they''re all crazy, killing everyone they see, each wanting to destroy the world.


    Even the master revenger, Eren Yeager, would apud them.


    In this world filled with madness, Naruto''s thoughts were simple: respect others'' destinies and abandon the saviorplex.


    He also wants to rely on the system to refresh the options and extract Kyubi from his body as soon as possible.


    As for who would end up with Kyubiter? That has nothing to do with him.


    ¡®Someone nearby?¡¯


    While dashing through the forest, Naruto''s thoughts were interrupted. He immediately held his breath and carefully moved in a direction.


    After pulling aside the leaves, he indeed saw three Shinobi standing on the grass, two men and one woman. They seemed to be searching for something. Naruto watched for a while and recognized the three of them as the three Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, the hunched Dosu, the hole Zaku, and the girl Kin.


    "Damn it, where is Orochimaru-sama''s mark?" Zaku said anxiously.


    "It should be around here." Kin said, gritting her teeth and scanning the area, obviously very nervous about Orochimaru¡¯s mark mentioned by Zaku.


    "Hurry up and find it." Dosu said in a raspy voice, "Without the mark, we will not be able to receive the next order from Orochimaru-sama."


    "Shut up!" Kin said impatiently.


    "What did you say?" Dosu red coldly at Kin.


    While the two were on the verge of conflict, Zaku suddenly noticed something, his eyes lit up, and he ran toward a bush. As he ran, he shouted, "You two,e here! I found Orochimaru-sama''s¡­"


    Before he could finish his words, a de unexpectedly pierced his throat.


    The sudden incident left the other two stunned. Everything happened too quickly. Naruto, crouched in the bushes, burst forth with explosive power like a cannonball, and the de in his hand impaled Zaku''s throat.


    Zaku, who didn''t understand what was happening, opened his eyes wide, and his ck pupils stared at Naruto, who was wearing the Root mask in front of him.


    "Zaku!" Dosu chose to backstab his teammate without hesitation, indiscriminately releasing sound waves to attack Naruto and Zaku.


    [Option 1: Defeat the Otogakure Trio. Reward: Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique.]


    [Option 2: Torture the Otogakure Trio to get information about Orochimaru. Reward: Wind Release: de of Wind.]


    The synthesized mechanical voice sounded before Naruto had time to react, triggering thetest options on the translucent panel.


    There are two conventional Ninjutsu, and it doesn''t make any difference which one he chooses.


    However, when Naruto nced at the two remaining Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, he immediately had the answer in his mind.

 Chapter 49 Torture

    Chapter 49 Torture


    Zaku had already fallen, and Dosu''s sound waves, created a visible ripple in the air, rapidly approaching Naruto.


    Naruto leaped away, and Zaku, having received Dosu''s backstab, had his back torn open with deep, bone-revealing wounds. Already on the brink of death, Zaku''s body convulsed a few times before his soul departed to the afterlife.


    Seeing his sound waves miss, Dosu gritted his teeth and was about to continue searching for Naruto, who wore a Root mask. But at this time, a kunai suddenly shot toward him.


    The kunai wasn''t moving fast, so Dosu didn''t bother to move his feet. He simply tilted his head to avoid it.


    But in the next second, just as the kunai passed by him, Naruto appeared behind him, catching the kunai with a snap.


    [Flying Thunder God- Second Step]


    Dosu, who was in a state of alert, seemed to realize something and inhaled sharply.


    "Behind you!" Kin had already rushed forward and threw several Senbon in her hand towards Naruto.


    However, it was toote. Time seemed to freeze in that instant. The speed of the Flying Thunder God Technique was too fast, and human nerves could not keep up with it. Without hesitation, Naruto drove the kunai into the back of Dosu''s head, striking his vital point.


    Like pressing the pause button on life, Dosu''s me of life was suddenly extinguished.


    The five senbon arrived toote, and Naruto used Dosu''s body to block them all. With a few ¡®pfft¡¯ sounds, the senbon sank deeply into Dosu''s body.


    "You Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi seem to enjoy backstabbing your teammates." Naruto said in a low voice, the holes in his mask glowing with a chilling red light.


    Kin, who was running towards Naruto, immediately stopped in her tracks, paralyzed by the gaze of Kyubi¡¯s blood-red eyes. The fear of death enveloped her, like being targeted by a terrifying beast in the darkness, with a bloody storm surging towards her.


    "Who are you?" Kin trembled as she asked. "From your appearance, you are someone from Konoha, right?"


    "You know a lot." Naruto slowly walked toward Kin, "Orochimaru sent you, didn''t he? Your n was exposed the moment you entered the vige, and I''ve been keeping an eye on you since then."


    "Now, your Orochimaru-sama is being personally hunted by the Hokage and his team. He has no way to escape route. So keeping you alive is pointless."


    "Impossible!"


    "Nothing is impossible." Naruto stopped a few steps away from Kin, looked at her and said, "Now, let''s test your loyalty to Orochimaru."


    "What are you going to do?" Kin''s face was full of fear.


    "Torture, but I guess you won''t say anything, so..." Naruto raised his hand, and blue lightning surged, casting flickering shadows on his mask.


    "I''ve decided to let you die in pain. I hope you maintain your ridiculous loyalty and don''t disappoint me."


    "I''ll kill you, you bastard!"


    Naruto ignored Kin¡¯s insults. This soul interrogation technique was an incredible inspiration he got from a certain website.


    On a sunny afternoon, while searching for an ¡®ancient poem¡¯, he identally stumbled upon a paradise-like website. Amid the smoky screen, he happened to see a video rmended on the homepage titled ¡®Torture of a Kunoichi in the Chunin Exam¡¯.


    After watching the entire video, Naruto quietly gave it a thumbs down.


    Bah! He disapproved of such a vulgar disy, it¡¯s far removed from the true spirit of the Will of Fire.


    ¡®Reality wasn''t like the videos, there were no such charming scenes.¡¯ Naruto''s face turned cold as he directed the Lightning Release at Kin, causing blue lightning to crackle and screams rang out instantly.


    In response to this, Naruto just watched coldly.


    If she died, it would fulfill the first option of eliminating the Sound ninja trio, earning him the reward of the Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique.


    If she talked, it would fulfill the second option of extracting information about Orochimaru, earning him the Wind Release: de of Wind Technique, which is not a loss at all.


    It didn''t matter which choice was made, so Naruto simply decided to let this girl choose her fate. Whether to choose to live, or to stay loyal to Orochimaru.


    Zzzzt!


    Zzzzt!


    Lightning crackled mercilessly over her body. When the electric surge finally subsided, Kin¡¯s eyes rolled back, and she copsed on the ground, tears and drool streaming down her face, leaving arge puddle beneath her.


    Naruto nced at her, and lightning began to gather in his hand again, clearly intending to repeat the process.


    "No! Please don''t shock me again, I''ll talk! I''ll talk!"


    Kin curled up, trembling all over. She didn''t see any warmth in Naruto''s eyes. Those eyes were like cold ice cubes. She knew very well that if she didn''t speak up, this person would surely electrocute her to death here.


    The mere thought of that was enough to make her shiver. She''d rather die quickly like her teammates than be tortured by this demon in front of her.


    Little did they know that this was Naruto''s original intention. He had killed Zaku and Dosu because they were troublesome. Even if he tortured them, there was a chance those scientifically modified freaks might enjoy the torture.


    "Are you really going to talk?" Naruto asked with some regret.


    "I''ll talk! I''ll talk!" Kin sobbed, tears streaming down her face.


    "Actually, you don''t have to talk." Naruto said hesitantly, "I do kind of want that Fire Release Ninjutsu."


    Upon hearing this, Kin¡¯s breathing grew heavy. She didn''t understand what the Fire Release Ninjutsu that Naruto was talking about had to do with her, but she knew that if she didn''t speak up now, she would be electrocuted into a semiconductor.


    ¡®This guy is a real devil.¡¯


    Looking at Kin¡¯s pleading eyes, Naruto thought about it and felt that the Wind Release Ninjutsu might be okay too.


    "Go ahead."


    Afterwards, Kin began to stammer out some truths. Naruto, wary of lies, shocked her two more times until her story remained consistent across three interrogations. Only then did he let her go.


    When ites to intelligence matters, it''s better to be cautious, right?


    Kin didn''t know if Naruto was too strict. She waspletely numb andy motionless on the grass. When she heard the rustling footstepsing from her ears, she turned her head with all her strength and stared at the culprit with numb eyes.


    However, Naruto did not attack her again. He just looked at her and said, "Since you told the truth, I''ll give you a piece of advice."


    "Leave Konoha after the exams, and don''t try to find your Orochimaru-sama. He''ll kill someone like you, who has no value."


    After saying that, Naruto flickered away.


    [Wind Release: de of Wind Technique sessfully granted.]


    After dealing with the Otogakure Trio, Naruto hurried back to the rendezvous point from without looking back. About half an hourter, he was close to the agreed location when he heard the sounds of battle.


    This ce was very close to the agreed meeting ce. So after a moment''s thought, Naruto changed direction and took off the ill-fitting Root uniform.


    When he arrived, Naruto was greeted by a sight worthy of a famous painting.


    Orochimaru, with his long neck, biting Sasuke on the neck, leaving a small hickey.

 Chapter 50 The World Where Only Sasuke is Injured

    Chapter 50 The World Where Only Sasuke is Injured


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    Sakuray on the ground, still conscious but clearly injured.


    Meanwhile, Sasuke, bitten on the neck, grimaced in pain. Orochimaru, sensing Naruto''s presence, swiftly retracted his snake-like long neck.


    This round could be considered a trade-off of sorts.


    "Naruto! Be careful! Sasuke, he''s been..." Sakura also noticed Naruto''s return and shouted for him to be cautious.


    At this time, Sasuke had already fallen down, clutching his neck where the small hickey was forming in pain. The only people still standing at the scene were the disguised Orochimaru and Naruto.


    "Calm down, Sakura. Sasuke is fine." Naruto reassured her, then turned his gaze towards Orochimaru, "I''ve gathered some intel. This guy is not a participant. He is Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin."


    "What?" Sakura waspletely bewildered.


    Kakashi''s generation was more familiar with the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, but when it came to Sakura and Naruto''s generation, it was difficult to get the news about them due to certain taboo subjects. Sakura only knew Orochimaru as one of the Legendary Sannin, nothing more.


    Finding out that someone from the textbooks had attacked her was quite an experience.


    So, Sakura was baffled, and Sasuke, who was still struggling in pain, was equally baffled.


    Orochimaru stared at Naruto with interest, his long tongue flicking out like a snake''s. Part of his face had peeled off, revealing skin paler than a woman''s.


    "Naruto? Are you the vige''s Jinchuriki?"


    "That''s right." Naruto replied boldly, "Anything else you need? If you have nothing else to say, you better leave, old man. Your body seems to be falling apart."


    Looking at Orochimaru, whose strength was less than one-tenth of his peak, Naruto showed no fear.


    Moreover, he knew that Orochimaru in front of him was a scientist who acted with absolute precision. Since the purpose of his trip was Sasuke, there was absolutely no reason for him to meddle in other people''s affairs.


    Sure enough, Orochimaru didn''t get angry at Naruto''s words, but just smiled sinisterly.


    "Naruto, we''ll meet again."


    After saying that, Orochimaru turned and left.


    Naruto didn''t move, just staring at Orochimaru''s back as he walked away, but his body is always on alert. It wasn''t until a few minutester when there was no trace of Orochimaru in the forest that Narutopletely rxed and turn to approach the two.


    "How''s Sasuke?"


    Naruto said this, but he squatted down and checked Sakura first. He only breathed a sigh of relief after making sure that she hadn''t lost any pieces of herself.


    As for Sasuke, he wasn''t really worried. After all, Orochimaru probably took better care of Sasuke¡¯s body than Sasuke.


    "Don''t worry about me for now." Sakura forced herself to say to Naruto, "Sasuke''s injuries are severe."


    "Okay," Naruto agreed, then stood up and walked towards the unconscious Sasuke.


    After checking his neck, he saw the ck Cursed Seal of Heaven. It was a mark made up of three ckmas the size of little fingers, which instantly amplified Sasuke¡¯s power when activated.


    "He''s fine, just passed out." Naruto assured Sakura with an OK hand gesture.


    After some effort, Naruto ced Sasuke on arge tree trunk. He then turned around and picked up the exhausted Sakura and swiftly ascended the tree.


    "Naruto, thank you." Sakura whispered softly, "If you hadn''t arrived in time, Sasuke might have..."


    Sakura also figured out that Orochimaru''s real target was Sasuke. However, while Naruto understood Orochimaru''s intentions, Sakura mistakenly thought Orochimaru intended to slowly kill Sasuke.


    "Well, we arepanions, this is what I should do." Naruto scratched his head and said, "Sakura, do we have any food left?"


    Upon hearing this, Sakura reached for her waist but found nothing, so she shook her head and said, "There¡¯s no more. During the fight, my Military Food Pills must have fallen out."


    At this moment, Naruto''s stomach growled loudly, making the situation a bit awkward. Sakura couldn''t help but lower her head and whispered, ¡°I''m sorry.¡±


    "It''s fine. You should rest for now." Naruto stood on the tree trunk, then said, "I''ll go up and take a look at the situation first."


    After saying that, Naruto quickly climbed up to the treetops. He stood lightly on a branch as thin as a finger, his body swaying slightly. He was looking into the distance, as if looking for something.


    "Naruto, it''s dangerous up there! Be careful." Sakura looked up at Naruto and called out worriedly.


    "Got it!" Naruto replied, ncing down at Sakura, "There''s a river to the west. It should be the river that runs through the center of the Forest of Death. We''ll get there soon if we go straight to the west!"


    "River?" Sakura didn''t understand Naruto''s intention, "Why go to the river?"


    "To find food." Naruto jumped down from the treetop and said with a smile, "We''ll fish."


    "Fish?"


    "Yes, as long as we reach the river, we''ll have food." Naruto assured her, "Sakura, can you stand up now?"


    Sakura tried, but failed.


    "Then I''ll carry you over there." Naruto suggested.


    "What about Sasuke? It''s not safe to leave him here unconscious." Sakura said worriedly.


    "I''ll carry him too." Naruto sighed and said, "Lucky Sasuke."


    Sakuraughed at Naruto''s remark but then asked worriedly, "Naruto, aren¡¯t two of us too heavy? Can you do it?"


    Now that it''se to this, how can a man say no? Besides, there is no better choice now. The three of them were in this together, and they can''t just abandon Sasuke. Naruto understood this well, despite intentionally seeking out the Otogakure Trio at the start of the exam.


    But that was because Naruto knew Sasuke would follow Orochimaru sooner orter anyway, so instead of staying here and shing with Orochimaru, it was better to deal with the Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi first. This would be more cost-effective and save a lot of trouble.


    As he expected, he and Orochimaru both got what they wanted. A world where no one was hurt except Sasuke and the Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi was achieved.


    "No problem."


    Naruto said with a smile, then squatted down to pick up Sakura, then easily lifted the unconscious Sasuke and left quickly.


    Sakura was surprised at Naruto''s strength, as if he had grown stronger without her noticing.


    "Naruto, are you okay?" Sakura asked, lying on Naruto''s back.


    Feeling a slight bump on his back that was soft yet strange, Naruto remainedposed and calmly replied, "I''m fine. We''re almost there."


    The diameter of the entire Forest of Death is 10km, and the three were only about one kilometer away from the river. It didn''t take Naruto too much time to reach the river. After setting down the two, he went to a nearby bamboo grove and cut a suitable piece of bamboo.


    Seeing that Naruto was really nning to go fishing, Sakura, who had regained some strength, volunteered to gather some twigs for the fire.


    Sakura, who had just returned from the nearby woods with arms full of dry branches, was still a little worried and murmured, "Can we really catch fish like this?"

 Chapter 51 Those Willing Shall Take the Bait

    Chapter 51 Those Willing Shall Take the Bait


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    When Sakura returned to the riverside, Naruto had already cleaned and prepared several fish, letting their blood flow freely down the river.


    "You really caught them? So quickly?"


    Sakura was amazed. She ced the dry branches she had in her arms on the ground before walking over to Naruto.


    "Yeah, just caught a few." Naruto replied without looking up, "We don''t have enough salt to preserve the meat, so..."


    "Naruto, you''re amazing." Sakura said.


    "It''s not that great, practice makes perfect." Naruto stood up, "Don''t sleep too deeply tonight, there might be more fish biting."


    "Tonight? Fish?"


    Even though Sakura didn''t fully understand what Naruto meant, seeing the blood flowing down the river almost instinctively sent shivers down her spine. Blood would attract more predators, and what might happen after dark was anyone''s guess.


    Whoosh.


    Naruto reached out and released a small amount of Lava Release into the pile of dry branches, using the instantaneous high temperature to ignite the branches.


    The fire dispelled the fear in Sakura''s heart, and she stood up to fetch water from the river. After moistening a towel, she gently ced it on Sasuke''s forehead. All that was left was to wait.


    She looked at Naruto, who was stringing fish on cleaned branches and then setting up a grill.


    "Let me help."


    Sakura stood up, took the branch with the fish on it, and roasted it over the fire carefully, just like Naruto did.


    The flickering firelight danced on Sakura''s dust-covered face, and her eyes were slightly unfocused. She seemed to be thinking about what happened during the day, and her eyes were filled with fear and confusion.


    After a long silence, she lowered her head and asked, "Naruto, why would Orochimaru attack Sasuke?"


    "Who knows." Naruto answered casually, "Maybe Orochimaru has his eye on Sasuke. He must have talked to you guys about power and stuff, right?"


    "Yeah." Sakura nodded, "He did say that. He told Sasuke that if he needs strength, he would definitelye to him again."


    "Then there''s nothing we can do." Naruto said as he roasted the fish next to Sakura, "Sasuke cares so much about strength, and all he thinks about is revenge. Who knows, Orochimaru might have hit the nail on the head."


    "Eh? What should we do then?" Sakura panicked, "Will Sasuke really do that?"


    "I''m not sure. We''ll have to ask him about that." Naruto flipped the fish to prevent them from getting burnt, "Didn''t he say something about revenge before? Hatred is something once it takes root, it''s irreversible and will only drag people deeper into the abyss."


    ¡°Unless¡­"


    "Unless what?" Sakura pressed.


    "Nothing." Naruto smiled, "Unless he dies, and then the hatred ends."


    What he actually wanted to say was that unless Sasuke was also possessed by someone, he would understand it like he does. After all, what does the past have to do with him?


    However, Naruto also didn''t intend to interfere with Sasuke''s journey of revenge. He would mind his own business and live a long life.


    As for what the world will be like in the future, he¡¯ll just think about itter.


    As night fell, there was almost no light in the woods.


    Next to the campfire, Naruto handed Sakura a salted, roasted fish and said, "Try it."


    "Thank you." Sakura was also hungry after the long day, so she took the fish from Naruto and took a bite, "It''s delicious."


    Sasuke was still unconscious, but he looked much better now, at least his breathing was even. Naruto nced at Sasuke, who is lying beside him, thinking, ¡®This guy wouldn''t be defeated by the Cursed Seal, right?¡¯


    Naruto and Sakura each ate two fish, leaving the remaining two for the unconscious Sasuke.


    Satisfied and no longer hungry, the two began to discuss their next n.


    "The Heaven Scroll was taken by Orochimaru." Sakura said with some annoyance, "Now we need to defeat two teams to have a chance of advancing, but Sasuke-kun is still unconscious."


    "Oh, don''t worry about that." Naruto said as he took out the Heaven Scroll and Earth Scroll from his pocket and handed them to Sakura, "Here, I got these."


    "Huh?" Sakura was stunned, "Naruto, how did you manage to get two scrolls by yourself?"


    "On the way to find trouble with the Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, I ran into a team of Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi, and they happened to be holding the Heaven Scroll." Naruto scratched his head and said, "I wasn''t nning to take it with me at first, but after hesitating for a while, I took it anyway. Now ites in handy."


    "That''s amazing! Naruto!" Sakura, overwhelmed with joy, hugged Naruto tightly!


    In the distance.


    The Ino-Shika-Cho trio leaned against a tree, watching the campfire from afar. Shikamaru, his hands forming a telescope shape, stared at that ce whileining.


    "What are Naruto''s team up to? Lighting a fire in the forest at night will only attract attention."


    "That''s near the river, right? Maybe they lost their Military Food Pills, so they decided to cook whatever they hunted?" Ino crossed her arms over her chest and said nonchntly.


    "It looks like Sasuke is asleep?" Shikamaruzily observed, "And why is Naruto being hugged by Sakura? Isn''t that guy so popr with girls?"


    "What! Hugging?!" Ino suddenly lost herposure.


    She peered towards the campfire but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Naruto and Sakura were just sitting by the fire talking.


    "Ino, what''s wrong with you?" Shikamaru asked.


    "Nothing, nothing. I''m just curious." Ino said with a forced smile, "I remember that Sakura only liked Sasuke. There''s no way she''d hug Naruto. You must be seeing things."


    "That makes sense." Shikamaru scratched his head, "I probably saw it wrong."


    "But they might run into trouble soon. If they keep that fire going., it would attract other teams." Choji narrowed his eyes and added, "Should we go and warn them?"


    "Toote." Shikamaru suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Hide quickly, someone''sing!"


    The trio''s expressions tightened and they hid themselves tacitly.


    By the river, the campfire was almost going out.


    Sakura sat nervously, but she didn''t make a sound. Following Naruto''s instructions, she just closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.


    Soon, three figures emerged from the river.


    Almost silently, the three Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi slowly moved towards the campfire by the river.


    Naruto continued to poke at the fire with a stick, seemingly unaware of the approaching danger. This put the three Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi at ease, and they signaled each other before suddenlyunching their attack.


    At the critical moment, Naruto''s figure vanished from the fire''s side.


    ¡®What!¡¯


    The Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi knew that something was wrong and suddenly realized that this was a trap.


    However, it was toote for them to escape. Naruto suddenly appeared behind one of them, his hand glowing with bright blue light. Arge ball of lightning was forcibly injected into the body of a Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi, causing a scream that echoed through the night, startling the birds in the forest.

 Chapter 52 Sasuke: Are You Cheating When Fishing?

    Chapter 52 Sasuke: Are You Cheating When Fishing?


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    After a loud bang, a scream echoed through the forest.


    Not far away, the Sunagakure Siblings stopped in their tracks. Temari quickly turned towards the direction of the sound, and asked nervously, "What''s that noise?"


    "Why don''t we go check it out?" Kankuro said confidently.


    "That''s the Kyubi." Gaara said coldly, "If you want to die, go ahead. But if the mission fails, you¡¯ll bear the consequences yourself."


    As the moonlight shone into the forest, Kankuro''s face flushed with embarrassment.


    "But didn''t Baki-sensei say that the Kyubi brat was trying to deceive us?"


    Gaara didn''t say anything, but just stared at Kankuro coldly, then turned around and left without looking back. Temari and Kankuro looked at each other, and they could only follow Gaara quickly after seeing the helplessness in each other''s eyes.


    By the river.


    Naruto''s sudden and unpredictable movements left the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobipletely defenseless.


    Soon, all the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi were knocked out cold by Naruto¡¯s lightning attacks. Naruto didn¡¯t want to kill anyone during the Chunin Exams, so he electrocuted them four or five times to be safe. In fact, after the second shock, the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi had already taken out their scroll and begged for mercy.


    But Naruto was afraid that they were trying to trick him, so he shocked them twice more until they were foaming at the mouth and fell unconscious.


    After the battle, Naruto bent down to pick up his kunai, looking a bit disheveled but otherwise fine.


    Flying Thunder God Technique could raise the upper limit of a Shinobi¡¯s strength. In simple terms, even Obito would have to take a few hits if he showed up now.


    Many teams have arrived from all directions, but none dared to make a move.


    They had witnessed the fate of the Kusagakure¡¯s Shinobi, so they knew attacking Naruto¡¯s team would be a foolish risk.


    "Naruto is nning to clear the area," Shikamaru, who were hiding in the distance with his team, suddenly realized something and said.


    "What do you mean by clearing the area?" Ino asked confusedly.


    "ording to the exam rules, if a team member dies or is too seriously injured to fight, the entire team will be considered to have failed the exam." Shikamaru exined, "If Sasuke doesn''t wake up by tomorrow, then the Team 7 will have to forfeit the exam to get medical help for him."


    Hearing this, Ino understood.


    Although the second roundsts for five days, the first lesson that Konoha¡¯s Shinobi learn when bing a Genin is to cherish theirpanions. Sakura and Naruto would never drag Sasuke along for five days. If Sasuke was still unconscious by tomorrow morning, they will probably have to withdraw from the exam so that Sasuke can receive treatment from the medical team.


    "So, they only have one night?" Ino asked.


    "Yeah." Shikamaru nodded and said, "Naruto is taking a big risk. He deliberately lit a fire to roast fish to attract nearby teams."


    "Wouldn''t that make their situation more dangerous?" Choji squinted as he asked.


    "Maybe for others, but that guy Naruto..." Shikamaru also frowned.


    They kept watched all night without saying a word, and no one came forward to attack Team 7 again.


    The next morning.


    Yawning, Naruto returned from the river after washing up and found Sasuke, who is lying on the ground, was already awake. While Sakura was taking a light nap on the other side of the fire.


    "You''re awake?" Naruto picked up the fishing rod beside him, "Wait here, I''ll get you something to eat. I ate your fishst night as a midnight snack."


    Sasuke didn''t show any reaction on his face. He looked indifferent, as if he had entered a state of indifference to life and death. Sakura, who was nearby, was awakened by Naruto¡¯s voice. Seeing Sasuke awake, she couldn''t help but overjoyed and hurriedly asked, "Sasuke-kun, you''re awake? How are you feeling?"


    Sasuke still didn''t speak, his head slightly tilted to stare at Naruto standing by the river ready to fish. It wasn''t until Naruto flicked the rod and instantly caught a fish that Sasuke''s gaze became unsteady. He coughed heavily and finally said in a strained voice, "I''m fine. How long have I been unconscious?"


    "One night," Sakura replied.


    Not far away, Naruto was already walking back with a few processed fish. His fish processing skills were already perfected through practice. He skillfully removed the innards, scales, and gills, expertly wielding a kunai.


    Sakura stood up as well, helping to move the firewood pile over.


    "I''vee to realize that Ninjutsu is really convenient." Naruto said casually with his back to Sasuke, "It only takes a second to start a fire. It''s really handy for camping."


    After resting for a while, Sasuke struggled to sit up, watching Naruto and Sakura busying themselves.


    "You use Ninjutsu when fishing too?"


    "No." Naruto turned back to look at Sasuke, "Why do you ask that?"


    Sasuke didn''t reply, but made a motion of pulling the rod after one second.


    "It''s just a matter of practice." Naruto said nonchntly, "There are always geniuses in this world. Maybe I''m just better at fishing."


    Hearing this, Sasuke didn''t pursue the matter further.


    After grilling the fish and adding some salt, the three of them ate. Then, Naruto pulled out the scrolls and said, "Let''s go to the tower."


    Without much dy, they extinguished the campfire, buried the food scraps, and hurriedly left.


    The central tower was some distance away from their current location. Sakura suggested taking a detour, but Naruto insisted on going straight through.


    "No one camest night despite the campfire being lit all night. If we detour now, it will only cause more trouble." Naruto said confidently, "Going straight through is the safest way."


    "Because now, those teams consider us as the tough ones."


    The three of them jumped across the giant tree trunks without detouring. And just as Naruto said, they reached the central tower without any issues.


    Before they arrived, Team 8 was already waiting there.


    "Naruto! You guys are so slow!" Kiba said arrogantly, "We''ve been waiting for you here for so long!"


    "Shut up, Kiba. I''ll definitely give you a good beatingter." Naruto, who had a good rtionship with Kiba, punched him hard.


    Team 8 was known as the top reconnaissance team among Konoha Twelve. They didn''t engage in much fighting, and after obtaining the scrolls, they quietly made their way to the edge of the central tower, avoiding confrontation. It was like a team hiding at the edge of the final circle right from the start of the game.


    With the Byakugan, Kikaichu, and super-sensitive sense of smell, it was like they had wallhacks activated. Avoiding troublesome enemies was a piece of cake for Team 8.


    "Naruto-kun, are you okay?" Hinata asked hesitantly.


    "What can be wrong with me?" Naruto chuckled.


    Hinata pointed at his clothes. Naruto looked down at his dirty self. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he scratched his head and said, "Surviving in the wild is tough. I''m just trying to fit in with the atmosphere."


    "Hmph." Kiba made a face and mocked, "You guys must be starving since yesterday, right?"


    "Sorry, , but we had grilled fish until we were sick of it, all cooked and hot." Naruto replied with a fake smile, confronting Kiba. At this moment, the two almost got into a scuffle, "What about you? Did you steal Akamaru''s dog food?"

 Chapter 53 Kurama, Do You Know What a Cheat Is?

    Chapter 53 Kurama, Do You Know What a Cheat Is?


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    After a while, the teams that passed the exam gradually arrived at the central tower.


    In total, only five teams made it through this round. All the Otogakure¡¯s teams, Kusagakure¡¯s teams, and misceneous people from Konoha were eliminated, leaving only the Konoha Twelve and the Sunagakure Siblings.


    Originally, there were twenty-six participating teams, but only five reached the central tower in the end.


    This meant that each team had to take out at least one other team. Among the remaining sixteen teams, Naruto had taken out two additional teams, while Gaara had taken out four. Six of the teams were injured and unable to fight due to beast attacks, and the other four teams were eliminated after opening their scrolls and falling unconscious.


    But even so, fifteen people were still too many, and seven needed to be filtered out.


    After all, the next part of the exam is no longer a team battle, but individual battles.


    In the noisy and uneasy training ground of the central tower, Sandaime arrived btedly. The group of Instructor Jonin lined up in a row, staring solemnly at the fifteen qualified participants below.


    Sandaime was giving a speech on stage, while Naruto yawned below.


    It wasn¡¯t until the sickly-looking Gekko Hayate appeared that he exined to everyone that since there were too many people advancing, a preliminary round was needed before the third round.


    The reactions were mixed, with some surprised and others nervous. Naruto, on the other hand, was indifferent. He was nning to forfeit anyway.


    After all, his purpose of participating in the Chunin Exams was merely to apany Sakura and Sasuke to reach the final. At the very least, as a teammate, Naruto did not hold them back. But if he had to participate in individual matches, he had no interest at all.


    He didn¡¯tck money, nor did he care about honor.


    There''s no point in fighting and killing. Anyway, he can''t get promoted to Chunin, so he might as well step aside and take a rest.


    Gekko Hayate coughed twice and exined to the crowd below, "There will be a preliminary before the third round. Anyone who wants to forfeit, please speak now."


    As soon as the words fell, there was amotion in the audience. After all, who would think of giving up for no reason after reaching this far?


    "I give up!" Naruto suddenly raised his hand and said.


    The venue fell silent for a moment, and everyone¡¯s eyes focused on the raised hand. When they realized it was Naruto, they were all stunned.


    "Naruto! Why are you forfeiting?" Sakura asked.


    "Are you crazy?" Kiba red at Naruto, "You can still fight!"


    "Naruto-kun¡­" Hinata looked at Naruto with some concern.


    ¡®Damn it, what¡¯s that guy up to now?¡¯ Sasuke, pressing on his neck injury, looked pained.


    On the stage, Sandaime¡¯s gaze also shifted to Naruto''s face. But he didn¡¯t show any special expression, only nodding slightly.


    "Then you can leave now."


    Originally, Sandaime had no intention of letting Naruto take part in the Chunin Exams, butter, he granted him special permission. Now that Naruto suddenly said he wanted to forfeit, Sandaime only thought Naruto was just acting on impulse. Since it was his own decision and didn¡¯t affect others, Sandaime didn¡¯t care.


    "Hey! Naruto!" Shikamaru, standing at the back, called out to Naruto, "Why aren¡¯t you continuing?"


    "I''m too tired." Naruto waved his hand and left without looking back.


    He walked out of the central tower, but still within the area of the Forest of Death.


    He didn''t go far, as he was nning to go in and watch the matchester. But for now, he needed to rest for a while.


    Naruto hadpletely figured it out. As long as he is Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, it would be hard to escape the fate set in the original work. Whether it was the Child of Prophecy or the Asura Reincarnation, those were things for the future. Things that hadn¡¯t happened yet weren¡¯t worth worrying about. And if he wants to be free, he had to get rid of Kyubi.


    Anyone who wanted to be a Jinchuriki could take his ce. Once he found a solution from the system options, he would definitely get Kyubi out of his body.


    He wanted to live for himself and refuse to do anything he didn¡¯t want to do.


    His current idea is very simple: To be a normal Shinobi and not to do things beyond his duties.


    When dealing with the higher-ups, he should just keep a low profile. After all, Danzo can''t touch him. However, if ites to a fight, then he''ll fight openly.


    The Four Symbols Seal can teach his enemies a lesson on how not to leave any traces.


    Naruto also understood one thing clearly: With the system by his side, his power will only keep growing stronger in the future. As for things like Otsutsuki Kaguya, no matter what, they couldn''tpare to the power of the system.


    When the timees, there will be a way, and he doesn¡¯t need to practice Ninjutsu anyway.


    Bypleting option tasks, the Ninjutsu will be directly given to him at light speed.


    Eat well, drink well, enjoy life more, and do fewer meaningless things. For example, participating in the preliminary of the Chunin Exams ispletely unnecessary, as he doesn¡¯t want to show any strength.


    He understood that even if no one present could defeat him, in the end, the higher-ups would not allow him to be promoted to Chunin.


    Besides, Naruto had no interest in talking others out of their hatred.


    The Caged Bird of the Hyuga n is ridiculous, there''s nothing worth trying to talk someone out of. Persuading others to let go of their hatred is the stupidest thing, and Naruto has no interest in it.


    After all, all he cared about were the few friends and girls around him, and he really has no feelings for the vige.


    Yawning, Naruto closed his eyes on a cool stone step in the shade.


    The summer breeze is blowing, bringing infinite coolness.


    As his consciousness slowly sank, Naruto suddenly opened his eyes and found himself unintentionally entering the seal space again.


    When Kyubi saw Narutoing, he had no reaction at all. He just nced at him before continuing to sleep.


    Naruto stared at the dozing Kyubi, then nced around the empty surroundings. Apart from the dark walls that looked like sewers, there were only potholes on the ground.


    To be honest, it''s not an ideal cell.


    Seeing Naruto lost in thought, Kyubi opened his eyes and looked at him with aplex expression.


    "Human, what are you doing?"


    "From now on, you have to call me Warden."


    "What?" Kyubi immediately got angry.


    "I''m thinking about how to improve the prison environment for you. This ce is too shabby." Naruto said.


    This sentencepletely frustrates Kyubi. Staring at Naruto, he said sarcastically, "How about you just die and let me out?"


    "Don''t worry, if I were dying, I would definitely find a way to permanently seal you and torment you." Naruto said calmly, "Let''s be practical, Kurama, and stop fantasizing like a coward."


    "How do you want to change it?"


    "The Four Symbols Seal can bring things from outside in." Naruto said as he picked up a pair of ck socks on the floor that were supposed to be drying on his balcony, "I''ll bring you some things to pass the time."


    "Why are you doing this?" Kyubi was a little surprised.


    "I don''t want you to pull me in here for no reason!" Naruto rolled his eyes at Kyubi, "Cherish the time you spend with me. It won''t be long before I get you out!"


    "Oh, you want to die soon?"


    "Definitely not."


    "Then what way do you have?"


    "I already told you, you don''t need to worry about that." Naruto stared at Kyubi and said, Kurama, you''re too weak. There are many powers in this world that you have never seen before."


    "And what are those?" Kyubi''s tone also became a little solemn.


    "Do you know what a cheat is?"

 Chapter 54 Pervert!

    Chapter 54 Pervert!


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    "Forget it, you wouldn''t understand even if I told you." Naruto stretchedzily, "Oh, by the way, Kurama, do Biju have genders?"


    "Why are you asking me this?" Kyubi nced at Naruto sideways.


    "Just curious."


    Kyubi originally disdained to talk to Naruto, but when he thought about how this human just wanted to improve the environment for him, he exined a little more.


    "We are Chakra Manifestations, so strictly speaking, we don''t have genders."


    "Then why are you a male fox?"


    Kyubi was speechless for a moment and decided not to bother with Naruto anymore.


    "Since it''s possible, why don''t you transform into a cute fox girl with animal ears?" Naruto''s curiosity burst forth, proposing a path Kyubi had never imagined.


    ¡°Roar!!!! Get out!¡±


    "Oh my god! Kyubi is too fierce!" Naruto sat up angrily from the mossy, shady stone steps and eximed, "I was just curious. If he doesn''t want to change, I didn''t want to see it anyway!"


    "Hmph!"


    With a snort tinged with regret, Naruto stood up and looked towards the central tower.


    ¡®I thought I should go in and take a look. Although I won''t participate, I am still a little worried. This preliminary seems to be a 1v1 battle selection. The opponent are not chosen randomly but throughpletely opaque methods.¡¯


    ¡®But since I had withdrawn, those brain-dead higher-ups probably wouldn''t pair Hinata and Neji together, right?¡¯


    ¡®A match between the branch family¡¯s genius and the main family''s girl? Wouldn''t that just be a one-sided beatdown?¡¯


    Naruto hesitated for a while, but decided to go in and take a look, ¡®If things didn''t look good, I could always shout for Hinata to surrender early. There''s no point in persisting in such a stupid game where you just get beat up.¡¯


    With such thoughts in mind, Naruto turned around to take a step when the synthesized mechanical voice echoed in his mind again.


    [Ding!]


    A panel popped up, disying two options.


    [Option 1: Use the Mind Body Switch Technique (System temporarily provides perfectpatibility) to take over Hinata''s body and control her to surrender. Reward: Explosive Tags x20]


    [Option 2: Use the Mind Body Switch Technique (System temporarily provides perfectpatibility) to take over Hinata''s body and control her to defeat Neji. Reward: Kusanagi Sword]


    After reading the options, Naruto couldn''t help but sarcasticallyment, ¡®How can I possibly win?¡¯


    ¡®Choose option one, decisively choose option one.¡¯


    As soon as he thought of that, Naruto copsed to the ground as if his soul had been sucked away, and fell into a deep sleep. Anyway, with Kyubi still inside him, he wasn''t worried about anyone daring toe and collect his body.


    In the central tower, Hinata, who was chosen to fight against Neji, was feeling nervous and uneasy.


    She stood on the nervously with her hands clenched, her palms full of sweat.


    The match currently underway was between Kiba and Choji, and the oue was about to be decided. The next match would be hers against Neji, her cold and ruthless cousin, causing Hinata more fear than anything else.


    But she didn''t want to give up. She still wanted to fight with all her might and dignity.


    Suddenly, Hinata felt like she was losing control of her body. In that split second of widened pupils, an unprecedented strange sensation spread throughout her body.


    ¡®Oh no, my body!¡¯


    ¡®Ah!¡¯


    Shino, who was standing nearby, noticed Hinata''s abnormality and turned to ask, "What¡¯s wrong with you?"


    "I''m fine." Hinata looked up, and Naruto''s ghostly presence ovepped perfectly with her.


    In Hinata''s mind, there was amunication area that only the two of them could hear.


    "Naruto-kun? What''s happening?" Hinata asked in panic. She felt that she had lost control of her body, with only her eyes and mind able to move.


    "Don''t worry, Hinata." Narutoforted her gently, "This is a mind-based Ninjutsu. I''ll be taking control of your body for a little while."


    "Taking control... of my body body?" Hinata was stunned for a moment, then realized something and let out a scream, "Pervert! No!"


    That¡¯s right, this perfectlypatible Mind Body Switch Technique was a hundred times more refined than the one Ino used. Naruto could not only perfectly control Hinata''s body but also share her consciousness, although there were inevitably some minor ws.


    "Uh... Hinata, rx." Naruto said with an awkward smile.


    "Naruto-kun is a pervert!" Hinata hugged herself tightly and squatted down in the consciousness space.


    However, this had no effect, as Naruto was still in control of Hinata''s body.


    "I''m sorry." Naruto said apologetically, "Please trust me, Hinata, I won''t harm you."


    "If I let you face the uing battle on your own, you would definitely get hurt. I just don''t want you to get hurt, so I had no choice but to do this!"


    Hearing this, Hinata calmed down a little. She looked up at Naruto and asked embarrassedly, "Naruto-kun, you did this because you''re worried about me?"


    "Of course!" Naruto said, "I am definitely worried about you, so Hinata, please don''t be mad, okay?"


    "I-I''m not mad at Naruto-kun." Hinata said meekly, blushing.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of your body! I won''t do anything inappropriate!" Naruto promised seriously, "How about I treat you to barbecue after the exam?"


    "Okay." Hinata nodded gently, her face turning as red as a tomato.


    "Naruto-kun." Hinata spoke again.


    "Hmm? What is it?"


    "I know I''m not a match for Neji-niisan, and I... can probably guess what you intends to do, Naruto-kun. You''re nning to make me forfeit the match, right?"


    Naruto was silent.


    "I know that forfeiting is the best option, but... Naruto-kun, I also want to follow my own ninja way." Hinata said softly, "Sometimes, I also want to prove that I''m not someone who fails at everything."


    "I chose the path of being a Shinobi myself, and the days of training with everyone have been very happy for me. So, I cherish being a Shinobi very much."


    "So¡­ So I was thinking, if my thoughts are making things difficult for you, Naruto-kun, could you give my body back to me?"


    "Even if I get hurt, I still want to give it a try."


    While Naruto was silent, the battle in the arena reached its conclusion, with Kiba defeating Choji.


    Hayate nced around the stands, and hiszy and weak voice rang out in the venue.


    "The next match, Hyuga Neji vs. Hyuga Hinata!"


    Seeing that it was Hinata¡¯s turn, Naruto took a deep breath and said, "No."


    "Eh?" Hinata was confused, "But¡­"


    "I''ll fight for you." Naruto interrupted Hinata and said, "Since I¡¯m already here, don''t worry, Hinata. I''ll do my best."


    As he said that, Naruto, controlling Hinata''s body, slowly walked towards the arena.

 Chapter 55 Neji vs. ‘Hinata’

    Chapter 55 Neji vs. ¡®Hinata¡¯


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    After both of them stood in the arena, Neji on the opposite side had a cold expression.


    Naruto began to regret theints he made about Hyuga n using the Shinobi God Avatar. After exacerbating the internal conflicts of the Hyuga n, the karma hade back to haunt him now.


    ¡®Damn, karma is real?¡¯


    Naruto looked nervously at Neji opposite him. The other''s face was so gloomy that water could drip out of it, which made Naruto shudder.


    ¡®Fortunately, I chose to fight in Hinata''s ce, otherwise, Hinata-chan would have been caught up in the mess I created and possibly gotten seriously hurt.¡¯


    ¡®This guy is really scary after going to the dark side. It was clear he will definitely be ruthless!¡¯


    "Hinata-sama, I didn''t expect to fight with you." Neji said to Hinata.


    At this time, it was Naruto who was controlling Hinata''s body. He could talk to Hinata in the consciousness space while controlling Hinata''s body. At the same time, Hinata in the consciousness space could naturally perceive everything happening outside.


    "Neji-niisan¡­" Hinata''s voice in the consciousness space was noticeably low.


    Naruto didn''t care about all that. Right and wrong were already clear, as the main family of the Hyuga n was indeed behaving hically.


    ¡®But for now, I had to protect Hinata first, and then I can slowly deal with the other things.¡¯


    "Yeah, I didn''t expect it either." Naruto really couldn''t call Neji ¡®nii-san¡¯, so he could only respond reluctantly.


    At the same time, Naruto controlled Hinata''s body to take a half-step back, which is his usual starting move in a fight. This was definitely a high-level match, and he didn''t know much about the Hyuga n''s Techniques, he had to improvise on his own.


    While fighting, he also has to pay attention to his Chakra to avoid running out.


    The examiner, Gekko Hayate, stood nearby, nced at the two of them, and said lifelessly, "Well then, let the match begin."


    Neji took a half-step to the right, also adopting a starting stance. He looked at Hinata seriously and spoke, "Before the match starts, I have some advice for you, Hinata-sama. Give up. You are not fit to be a Shinobi."


    "You''re too weak, have no opinions of your own, and can''t refuse anyone. You''re kind to everyone, and that''s why you''re always bullied. Shinobi are killing machines, and someone as kind as you can''t be a Shinobi. You will only bring harm to yourself and others!"


    "I know." Naruto, who was controlling Hinata''s body, said, "Giving up is not an option. Everyone has something they need to stick to in life."


    "Hinata-sama, you are a little different from before." Neji said coldly, "In the past, you were always used to running away. Although I don''t know why you''re so insistent now, it won''t change the fact that you''ll fail."


    "My Byakugan sees very clearly. Your past failures will soon reveal your true nature."


    Faced with Neji''s psychological assault, Hinata was on the verge of a breakdown. Even though Hinata didn''t say anything, Naruto could feel the panic and anxiety in her body.


    In the consciousness space.


    "Aren''t you from the main family?" Naruto asked


    "Yeah." Hinata responded softly.


    "The main family has absolute control over the branch family." Naruto said, "So why are you afraid of him?"


    "I don''t want to fight Neji-niisan." Hinata said hesitantly, "The rtionship between the main family and the branch family has always been bad. Neji-niisan wasn''t like this when he was younger, but... but..."


    "But the affairs of the main family aren''t something you can decide, right? Unless you be the n Head." Naruto said, "Neji probably hates you because he thinks that since you are a member of the main family, you are also a beneficiary of the system. So why do you have a conflict? It doesn''t make sense?"


    "I¡­ I don''t know." Hinata said.


    "Large families are really troublesome."


    After saying that, Naruto stopped talking to Hinata and locked his gaze on Neji, who had activated his Byakugan.


    In an instant, Naruto shifted from open palm to clenched fist, simultaneously activating Hinata¡¯s Byakugan.


    Neji on the opposite side was a little surprised when he saw Hinata activated her Byakugan without forming any hand seals just like him.


    Up in the stands, Sakura suddenly asked, "Um, why does Neji look so surprised? Did Hinata do something?"


    Hearing this, Lee on the side interjected, "It took Neji a long time to activate his Byakugan without making any hand seals. Perhaps he felt that Hinata''s ability exceeded his expectations."


    The battle had already begun, and the two had started fighting.


    Naruto, controlling Hinata''s body, found that hisbat abilities have been significantly reduced.


    Just like Orochimaru''s Living Corpse Reincarnation. Although his abilities follow the soul rather than the body, but in Hinata''s body, Naruto will be limited by her Chakra and stamina. Additionally, the strength of their bodies was iparable, with clear limits on Hinata''s physical capabilities.


    Naruto didn''t know his own speed limit, but with Kyubi¡¯s Chakra, his body became highly responsive, almost as if he was on a stimnt.


    However, in Hinata''s body, Naruto could feel a limit, a limit from her body. He was sure that if he pushed past this limit, her muscles could tear or she might sustain worse injuries.


    Neji advanced with a palm strike, his movements as sharp as a spear, moving so quickly that it seemed like a sh of silver.


    Naruto didn''t counter with a palm but instead sidestepped, instantly creating some distance.


    The Hyuga n''s Gentle Fist infused chakra into their palms, enabling them to damage an opponent''s internal organs even without direct contact.


    In that split second, Neji stepped forward, pursuing Hinata relentlessly.


    Naruto took the opportunity to dodge a palm strike and countered with a kick, hitting a Tenketsu on Neji''s arm.


    Feeling his rhythm disrupted, Neji cautiously retreated. This also gave Naruto an opening to move forward with a palm strike aimed at Neji''s face. At the same time, his waist turned sideways like a knob, and when Neji countered with a palm thrust, Naruto used the force of twisting his waist to turn around and follow through with a backhand strike.


    Neji deflected both attacks with his hands. The Hyuga n''s Gentle Fist relied on skillful deflection, using force to neutralize force.


    Naruto used brute strength, retreating and advancing quickly, maintaining a relentless pace. While Neji deflected his strikes, Naruto followed up with a sweeping kick.


    Neji, steady in his stance, parried with his palms, which were as sharp as swords.


    Naruto didn''t engage in a pure palm strike contest with Neji. Not only was it the style he¡¯s not good at, but also because Hinata''s understanding of the Gentle Fist was inferior to Neji''s. And Naruto, being a temporary substitute, couldn''t possibly execute the Gentle Fist better than Neji.


    The key to battle was leveraging strengths and avoiding weaknesses. Naruto, controlling Hinata''s body, moved nimbly within the arena, like a lithe cat.


    He continuously made offensive moves, interspersing them with numerous feints. Even with the Byakugan, it was hard for Neji to anticipate and counter all the feints. These were moves Naruto usually didn''t use, but he had to improvise under the current circumstances.


    Neji was clearly irritated, and with an angry shout, he unleashed the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms.

 Chapter 56 How To Remove The Caged Bird

    Chapter 56 How To Remove The Caged Bird


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    Naruto kept evading, whether advancing or retreating, he was mostly dodging. At the same time, Hinata''s stamina was rapidly depleting.


    Neji had been steadily attacking with each palm strike. Sensing the opportunity, Naruto released the remaining chakra from Hinata''s body. Relying on his experience of using the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra to cover his whole body, Naruto skillfully dispersed the remaining Chakra from Hinata''s body.


    "What is this?" Neji¡¯s pupils suddenly dted after he stabbed the air with his palm, as if he had seen something unbelievable.


    "That move! Could it be¡­!"


    On the viewing tform, Lee gripped the railing tightly, leaning forward, his gaze fixed on Hinata''s movements in the arena.


    "It''s Revolving Heaven?" Tenten, who was watching the game in the stands, also showed a surprised expression on her face, "How could it be Revolving Heaven?"


    Sakura couldn''t understand what they were talking about, but she felt it was impressive.


    "What is Revolving Heaven?"


    Revolving Heaven is a secret technique of the Hyuga n, which uses high-speed rotation to drive the Chakra wrapped around the body to form a Chakra vortex to neutralizes all external attacks. Essentially, it''s like a high-speed rotating cutting machine that can negate force.


    Of course, what Naruto used wasn''t Revolving Heaven. How could he possibly use such a technique? He could barely manage the basic Chakra wrap on his palms for the Gentle Fist, let alone Revolving Heaven, a highlyplex and difficult technique.


    But Neji didn''t know this. Almost at the same time Naruto started to attack, arge amount of blue Chakra burst out from Neji''s body and his whole body was spinning at high speed.


    He was using Revolving Heaven against ¡®Revolving Heaven¡¯!


    The real Revolving Heaven is to rotate the body causes the Chakra to rotate.


    And what Naruto is using now is the fake Revolving Heaven, which is letting the Chakra rotate on its own.


    With a loud boom, Naruto jumped back, allowing the Chakra vortex to collide with Neji''s Revolving Heaven. The people in the stands only saw Hinata suddenly leap back from the confrontation, followed by the instantaneous collision of two Revolving Heaven, which exploded on impact. Neji was knocked back several meters, but managed to stay on his feet.


    "What just happened?" Sakura asked wide-eyed, utterly confused.


    However, Lee and Tenten were looking at the arena nervously, staring at Neji''s figure with worried expressions.


    The genius in their team actually failed?


    Revolving Heaven is Neji''s trump card, and they all know it. If he is defeated in such a ce, Neji will undoubtedly feel deeply frustrated.


    "That girl named Hinata is quite strong." Kakashi, who was watching the battle, suddenly remarked, "But I always feel something feels off about her. What do you think, Guy?"


    Guy''s expression wasn''t rxed either. Neji was his student, the most talented among his three students. He had considered that Neji might encounter tough opponents in the Chunin Exams, whether Sasuke or Naruto, but he never expected it to be Hinata.


    After all, Neji was known as the genius of the branch family, and he is even more powerful than the main family¡¯s new generation.


    "I feel something''s off too." Guy said, "That girl is Kurenai¡¯s student, right? I heard she''s quite introverted, but why does she fight like a boy?"


    "Well, that reversal backhand just now reminded me of someone," Kakashi said with a deadpan expression. "I hope I''m just overthinking it."


    As the improvised Rotation technique was used, the atmosphere in the arena grew tense, and Neji''s expression became serious.


    But at this moment, Naruto suddenly controlled Hinata''s body, raised her hand, and spoke, "I have used up all my strength and chakra. I can''t fight anymore. I surrender!"


    "Surrender?" Neji gritted his teeth, "What kind of surrender is that? Pitying me?"


    Naruto didn''t say anything more. His method of ying as a substitute was not honorable in the first ce. Now that he had achieved his goal, it would be too disgusting to stand on the moral high ground of a beneficiary and give some inspirational speeches.


    The hatred between the main family and the branch family cannot be solved with a few words. The key to the Caged Bird is not in words. And breaking the cage requires an iron hammer, not love. However, these words are not suitable for Naruto to say, whether in his own body or Hinata''s.


    If you have never experienced someone else''s pain, don''t easily advise them to let go. Morality is meant to restrain oneself, not to bind others.


    In the end, the match concluded.


    [The Explosive Tags was sessfully granted.]


    Hinata did not return to the stands, but walked out of the central tower. She followed the familiar path and stopped at a shaded stone step. On the stone stepsy a blonde boy, Naruto¡¯s real body.


    A few secondster, Naruto, who was lying on the stone steps, suddenly opened his eyes.


    The forest was filled with the noisy sound of cicadas, but the sunlight from above could not pierce through the canopy of the giant trees. Under the cool shade of the trees, Naruto and Hinata stared at each other for a few seconds.


    "Are you angry?" Naruto asked tentatively.


    Hinata shook her head. Her cheeks were so white they seemed to glow, making one want to pinch them.


    "Then why are you unhappy?"


    "When the match ended, I saw the lost look on Neji-niisan¡¯s face. I''ve never seen him look like that before." Hinata said, "Even though Neji-niisan won, he still felt very ufortable."


    "Well, he probably feels frustrated. The genius of the branch family of the Hyuga n is stronger than the main family." Naruto said, "His pride was shattered, so he felt lost and even questioned his life."


    "Then what should I do?" Hinata waspletely flustered, "I am actually very weak and afraid of fighting with others. If it weren''t for Naruto-kun, I might have..."


    "Might have gotten beaten up?" Naruto asked, "Do you want to exchange a beating for Neji''s goodwill towards the main family?"


    "I¡­" Hinata hesitated.


    "Don''t worry." Naruto reached out and touched Hinata''s head,forting her, "This is not the way to solve the problem. The conflict between the main family and the branch family isn''t something you can resolve alone. The crux of the problem doesn''t lie with you."


    "Naruto-kun, is there really no way?" Hinata asked somewhat aggrievedly.


    "There is." Naruto said, "When you be the n Head, you can justpletely abolish the Caged Bird."


    "But I¡­"


    "You haven''t really thought about snatching the position of n Head just for Neji, have you?" Naruto suddenlyughed and asked.


    "Um."


    "I''m just teasing you. Solving the problem doesn''t necessarily require you bing the n Head." Naruto said, "Your father is the n Head of the Hyuga n. Since that''s the case, you just need to convince him to abolish the Caged Bird."


    "The Caged Bird is also to protect the weaker members of the Hyuga n. If the Byakugan cannot be used even if it is seized, then there is no need for the enemy to target the branch family. Conversely, the main family with perfect Byakugan will have to bear the risk of being targeted by others, which is why the tradition of the branch family protecting the main family slowly formed."


    "But the root of the problem is that the Byakugan is too easy to transnt and too powerful in surveince, making it coveted by many forces. As long as we spend our minds on how to protect the eyes, maybe we can slowly get rid of the Caged Bird."


    Hinata was stunned when she heard this. She blinked, then looked at Naruto and asked, "Naruto-kun, why do you know so much about the Hyuga n?"


    Hearing this, Naruto nonchntly replied, "I heard it from others."

 Chapter 57 Only Once?

    Chapter 57 Only Once?


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    Hinata was skeptical, but didn''t ask further.


    However, Naruto''s words indeed gave Hinata a glimmer of hope. Consoling a young girl doesn''t necessarily require practical methods. It''s enough to put forward constructive suggestions from a high-level perspective. As for how her father might abolish the Caged Bird and the obstacles he might face, those were unimportant.


    At least, for now, the little girl¡¯s worries dissipated, and a smile reappeared on her face.


    "Thank you, Naruto-kun."


    "You''re wee. As long as you''re happy, Hinata."


    Hearing this, Hinata''s face inexplicably blushed again.


    [Progress with Hinata, Kyubi''s approval 14.2%.]


    Naruto really wanted to pinch Hinata''s face, but in the end, he kept hisposure and scratched his head, saying, "Hinata, you should go back inside. I need to leave now."


    "Naruto-kun, aren''t you going to go in and watch the matches?" Hinata was a little confused, "Sakura and Ino''s match is about to start, right?"


    "No." Naruto said awkwardly, "Since I forfeited, I can''t go back in anymore."


    He thought to himself that even if he could go, it would be awkward. Who would he cheer for? Cheering for Sakura made sense, butpletely ignoring Ino seemed too much. But cheering for both would make him seem indecisive.


    "Naruto-kun" Hinata hesitated for a moment, then shyly lowered her head and said softly, "You can use my body again."


    "Just like what happened just now, although it makes me feel a little ufortable and I feel like my brain is going to break down. But if it wasn''t fighting and was just watching, it shouldn''t be like that."


    "I can''t take over your body again, I can only use it once." Naruto was a little amused, "This isn''t some body-swapping game."


    "Is there such a Ninjutsu? One that can only be used once?" Hinata asked, and there¡¯s a hint of regret in her tone.


    Naruto was speechless and thought to himself, ¡®What are you regretting? If we were caught, both of us would be finished.¡¯


    "Yes, only once." Naruto said.


    "Alright."


    Naruto: "¡­"


    ¡®Damn, what hidden trait did I unlock?¡¯


    By the time Naruto came to his senses, Hinata had already run off.


    He could only shake his head and head towards the exit of Training Ground 44. To do that, he had to cross the Forest of Death alone.


    It''s doable, but no one usually does it. Most candidates leave together, and individuals generally stay quietly in the central tower somewhere, waiting for the exam to end and for the Jonin to escort them out.


    But Naruto was toozy to wait. Since he wasn''t going to watch the matches, there was no point in staying here anymore. Besides, it was still early for all the matches to end, so waiting would only waste time.


    He didn''t encounter any danger along the way and left the Forest of Death smoothly.


    After a quick meal at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto returned home to wash up, andy down directly after he was done.


    He gained a lot in this Chunin Exam, including the Lightning Release: Lightning Strike and the Wind Release: de of Wind Technique. Although the two Ninjutsu were not at the max level, and he still needed practice them to unleash their max power, they are still significant gains.


    Getting two A-Rank Ninjutsu from one exam and advancing in his progress with Hinata, overall, Naruto felt he had profited from this exam.


    ¡®There are fewer things to do now, and it¡¯s unexpectedly quiet.¡¯


    With these thoughts, Naruto drifted off to sleep.


    Meanwhile, inside the central tower of the Forest of Death.


    Facing Gaara''s strong offensive, Lee decided to go all out and opened the fifth gate. The two fought hard. The two fought intensely, with Guy recognizing that Lee''s body was overtaxed and stepping in to end the match as Lee''s Jonin Instructor, preventing Lee from being further harmed.


    Lee, who was exhausted from opening the gates, escaped the severe consequences of being banned for more than 70 episodes.


    The victory went to a battered Gaara, who, despite his dissatisfaction, didn''t dare provoke Guy. After all, the strange man with watermelon-shaped hair in front of him was definitely Lee''s teacher, and Lee had nearly bested him. Gaara knew better than to challenge Guy and could only leave with a gloomy look.


    Sakura and Ino ended their match in a draw, both copsing from exhaustion.


    The lineup for the Chunin Exams¡¯ finals was thus determined: Uchiha Sasuke versus Gaara, Hyuga Neji versus Kankuro, Shikamaru versus Temari, and Inuzuka Kiba versus Aburame Shino.


    And before the finals, all participants have one month to prepare.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    The urgent sound of the rm clock rang out as Naruto groggily reached out to shut it off and rolled over to continue sleeping.


    After the room fell silent for a few seconds, there was a loud knock on his door.


    "Naruto!"


    "How long are you going to sleep? You promised to go camping by the river with everyone, and you forgot again!"


    Sakura''s voice came from outside, apanied by the impatient knocking.


    Naruto groggily opened his eyes, vaguely recalling that he had agreed to a joint camping with Team 10 and Team 7.


    All of this was because of the sudden improvement in the rtionship between Ino and Sakura, forcing Shikamaru and Choji to agree to the camping trip with these two strong women, dragging Naruto along as well.


    "Sakura, is this where Naruto lives?" Ino''s voice came from the other side of the door. "You seem very familiar with this ce?"


    "That''s because..." Sakura was about to respond when the door opened from the inside, and Naruto, who was in his pajamas and still half-asleep, nced at the two girls and yawned, asking suspiciously, "When did you two be so close?"


    "None of your business!" Ino made a face at him.


    "Naruto, you wouldn''t know because you forfeited at the preliminary." Sakura said and hugged Ino beside her. The two energetic girls stood close together, showing their newfound camaraderie.


    "We''ve made up!"


    "Yes, we''ve made up." Ino nodded.


    "Oh." Naruto responded ambiguously. After a while, he got himself ready, and the three of them headed out together.


    The river was a bit of a distance from the vige, situated below arge waterfall. Shikamaru and Choji were already waiting there, wearingrge sunhats. Under the scorching sun, the only ones with high spirits were the two girls.


    "Hey, Naruto, isn''t Sasukeing?" Shikamaru yawned and asked with sleepy eyes.


    Naruto was also very sleepy, so the twozy Genins gathered together to set up the barbecue grill.


    "Sasuke can''te. The Cursed Seal on his body seems to be a bit troublesome, so Kakashi-sensei took him for special training."


    "Special training, huh¡­ Asuma-sensei mentioned such thing to me as well."


    "Congrattions, Shikamaru," Naruto said without much enthusiasm.


    "Yeah, right, what a drag." Shikamaruined, lookingpletely exhausted. "Just when I finally had some time off, Ino forced us to go camping."


    "Then why didn''t you just refuse her?" Naruto asked while working, "And you dragged me into this too."


    "I can''t help it. Ino usually takes good care of us, so there''s no way to refuse her on this." Shikamaru sighed, picked up the fishing rod that he had prepared long ago, and said to Naruto, "I''ll go catch some fish."


    Naruto turned his head to look at him, then stared at the obviously expensive fishing rod in his hand, "Where did you get your rod?"


    "My dad¡¯s. He said he used to be great at fishing."

 Chapter 58 You’re Really Nice

    Chapter 58 You¡¯re Really Nice


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    By noon, the five of them had divided the tasks and, except for the fish, everything was ready.


    Naruto patted Shikamaru''s shoulder from behind, and thetter looked back at him in confusion.


    "Let me take over."


    Hearing this, Shikamaru, with a long face, stood up reluctantly and said annoyedly, "It turns out that fishing is really tough. No wonder I rarely saw my dad fish."


    ¡°It is indeed difficult.¡±


    Naruto agreed, then caught five fish within five minutes, which made Shikamaru''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "No way! I saw you didn''t even put the bait on the hook!"


    ¡°I have a good rtionship with the fish.¡±


    "That''s nonsense! How can that be true?!" Shikamaru held his head, feeling exasperated.


    "Even if I tell you, you wouldn''t believe it, so it''s better not to say anything." Naruto continued fishing and caught a total of eight fish before stopping.


    As Naruto was packing up the fishing rod, Shikamaru came over to help. Naruto simply handed the fishing rod to him, letting him handle it, and Shikamaru didn''t refuse. One stood at the riverside winding the line, while the other stood watching.


    The cool mountain breeze swept through, making them feel refreshed.


    Listening to Sakura and Ino''sughter not far away, Naruto nudged Shikamaru with his shoulder, with a nostalgic look on his face.


    "What''s up?"


    "Don''t you think this is what summer should really feel like?" Naruto said.


    "Summer feel?"


    Shikamaru followed Naruto''s gaze, and saw Sakura and Ino grilling fish while chatting andughing, while Choji was sitting nearby, eating potato chips. Behind them, the eye-catching mountains and forests swayed in the cool breeze.


    "Who do you like? Ino or Sakura?" Shikamaru asked with lifeless eyes and no enthusiasm.


    "I just like the summer atmosphere." Naruto turned to Shikamaru and said, "But I do prefer girls in skirts."


    "Is there any difference?" Shikamaru made a face simr to his father''s, "Women are the most troublesome."


    "Of course, there''s a difference. Youth and panties are inseparable." Naruto said offhandedly, looking around out of boredom, "Speaking of which, the profession of Shinobi is really not that good. When I be an adult, I will definitely change jobs."


    "What kind of job?" Shikamaru had too manyments to make, and for a moment, he didn''t know where to start.


    "One that allows me to travel the world and live freely."


    "I don''t want to discourage you, Naruto, but you''re still the vige''s Jinchuriki." Shikamaru slung an arm around Naruto''s neck and said in a low voice, "Talking about not wanting to be a Shinobi with me is fine, but don''t say it to others."


    "I get it." Naruto nodded helplessly. "But I really don''t want to stay in this vige for the rest of my life."


    "There will be missions, and there will be opportunities to go out." Shikamaru scratched his head and said, "Come to think of it, we''ll probably be like my father''s generation, never leaving this vige our whole lives."


    "I don''t think I mind that. To be precise, my dream is to live an ordinary life. Marry an ordinary wife, do ordinary things every day."


    "Tch." Naruto brushed off Shikamaru''s arm and muttered, "People who say things like that usually like pretty girls the most."


    "Naruto! Shikamaru! What are you two dawdling about?" Ino, who was far away, waved at the two men with her hands on her hips and shouted with a smile, " The fish is ready, and we brought some ingredients for barbecue. Come over and eat!"


    "Okay!" The two responded in unison and jogged over.


    At night fell, the group dispersed.


    Naruto hadn''t walked far when he suddenly heard hurried footstepsing from behind.


    The streets of Konoha were brightly lit, with all the shops illuminated, creating a series of glowing ribbons running through the vige when viewed from above.


    Ino, slightly out of breath, rested her hands on her waist and called out, "Wait."


    "What''s up?" Naruto had been thinking about what Shikamaru said during the day, so he was not in a good mood.


    "I heard from Shikamaru that you n to leave the vige in the future?" Ino asked nervously.


    "Shikamaru told you?" Naruto asked with some doubts.


    "I forced it out of him." Ino admitted, fiddling with her hands, "So, is it true?"


    "Yeah." Naruto didn''t hide it.


    "Why?"


    Hearing this, Naruto did not answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer and looked at Ino carefully, examining her as if he was looking at a work of art.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Ino took a step back and asked in a slightly flustered manner.


    At the same time, she began to regret her impulsiveness. She had chased after him on a mere whim, and now, it felt so embarrassing!


    "Ino, you''re really nice."


    "Eh? Why say something like that all of a sudden?" Ino''s face instantly turned red, her hands crossed and twisted together, and she started to stutter.


    The unexpectedpliment caught her off guard.


    Naruto said this from the bottom of his heart. Ino was one of the few Shinobi he knew who was both emotionally intelligent and genuinely caring. It touched him that she would run so far in the opposite direction just to follow him out of concern.


    At this time, Naruto was not heading home, but the Hokage Rock.


    "Honestly, I don''t know myself, so I don''t know how to answer your question." Naruto said seriously, "At least in the next few years, I have no ns to leave the vige. I may do so in the future, but that''s a matter forter."


    Hearing this, Ino felt a bit relieved and blushed as she spoke, "I mean, if... if you have someone you like in the future, will you stay for her?"


    "I think I prefer freedom." Naruto said, as he felt that it would be better not to give Ino false hope. After all, making promises he couldn''t keep would only lead to trouble.


    "I see."


    "Yeah." Naruto nodded, then nced toward the Hokage Rock and suggested to Ino, "Since we''re here, let''s take a walk up there."


    Ino didn''t object and quietly followed behind him. She remained silent, unusually so, making Naruto think the matter was resolved.


    Perhaps it was because Naruto had been eating more meat and drinking milk recently, his height had grown to be the same as Ino''s. The two of them were walking on the mountain road, one in front and one behind.


    The lights on Hokage Rock were bright, and strings of small colored lights adorned the walls of the mountain path.


    Looking at the nearby Hokage Rock, Naruto suddenly thought of Tayuya. He wondered if that girl was eating well without him around. Before this, those four idiots seemed to be not good at disguising and survival, only good at fighting.


    "Hey, do you want some dango?" Ino caught up a few steps and handed him a bag of packaged dango.


    "Sure." Naruto nodded enthusiastically. Dango are sweet, and having a few skewers asionally was a nice treat.


    Seeing Naruto''s happiness, Ino smiled too, handing him several skewers of dango.


    "Here, I noticed you seemed to like thesest time."


    "Thank you, Ino." Naruto took it and took a bite, then said vaguely, "I''ve never had these before."


    What he meant by ¡®before¡¯ was before he crossed over, when he never got the chance. After arriving in this world, he had a new life to live.


    But Ino interpreted ¡®before¡¯ as Naruto''s past from childhood. Because of this, her hand holding the skewer trembled slightly, and she pursed her lips.

 Chapter 59 Pity Me, Please!

    Chapter 59 Pity Me, Please!


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    After walking up for a distance, they arrived at the top of the Hokage Rock, which is a hugerge space with fiveyers of railings set up along the edges for safety. Small colorful lights wound their way up from the base of the mountain along the path to the t area at the top.


    "Naruto! It¡¯s dangerous,e back here."


    Ino stood inside the innermost railing, watching Naruto standing on the outermost railing, with his tactical boots perched on a six-centimeter-wide steel pipe. The night wind howled from high above, and Naruto¡¯s whole body swayed with it.


    "It''s fine, I do this all the time."


    Naruto was facing Ino, with nothing but the cliff behind him and a string of dango in his hand.


    This action was incredibly dangerous, and Ino felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest. Her eyes were glued to Naruto standing on the outermost railing, her heart was pounding in sync with his slight swaying, and her mind was filled with fear.


    Even though she wasn¡¯t the one standing there, Ino was terrified, afraid that Naruto might disappear from the railing in the next second. The psychological insecurity made her body tremble slightly, and her throat constricted, making it impossible to speak.


    "Don¡¯t." Ino took several steps forward, crossed three railings and tried to pull Naruto down.


    She saw Naruto was smiling, with his hands behind his back, seemingly enjoying the moment.


    "I¡¯m not going to jump." Naruto stepped down from the railing, then walked over to Ino and said, "The vige''s night view is quite beautiful."


    "You scared me to death just now." Ino said.


    "Ha ha, sorry about that." Naruto said with a chuckle, "Actually, it''s very safe to do that. I oftene here when I¡¯m feeling down. Even if I identally fall, the protruding part of the Hokage Rock would catch me."


    "Even so, it¡¯s too dangerous." Ino muttered, " Don¡¯t do things that make people worry!"


    "Got it."


    "Naruto, why did you forfeit that time?"


    "No particr reason, I didn''t want to take the exam anyway." Naruto said, "By the end of second round, the Chunin Exams was already over for me."


    "What about the rest of it?"


    ¡°The rest didn¡¯t matter.¡±


    "Huh?" Ino was puzzled, "Wouldn''t it be better to be a Chunin sooner?"


    "Not really. I don¡¯t want to do troublesome missions." Naruto said bluntly, "Besides, I am still too inexperienced. Even if I won all the matches, I wouldn¡¯t be promoted to Chunin. So it¡¯s just aplete waste of time."


    Ino waspletely baffled by Naruto¡¯s logic. She covered her face and said, ¡°Alright, fine.¡±


    The two did not stay for long, nor did they talk about anything specific. About half an hourter, they left the Hokage Rock together.


    As they parted at the crossroads, Ino waved at Naruto and asked, "Naruto, will youe to my family¡¯s shop to buy flowers?"


    "Huh?"


    "You have a month off now, right?"


    "Well, I n to use it to catch up on sleep."


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    Naruto scratched his head, ¡®Buy flowers? Are you saying I should buy them for Sandaime in advance? Wouldn¡¯t that be a bit too much?¡¯


    ¡­


    ¡°Ah, it feels good!¡±


    The electric fan made a creaking sound, which was quite annoying, but after three creaks, it finally started to spin slowly. Narutoy on the ground, letting out a weak moan.


    It was a hot summer day, and the outside temperature was rising.


    Naruto had ordered two air conditioners yesterday, but the instation personnel took a leave of absence, so the instation was postponed to today.


    There was a knock on the door, and Naruto thought it was someoneing to install the air conditioners. He quickly got up and walked to the door, pulling it open with a bang.


    "Huh?"


    What caught his eye were two huge air conditioners, but there was no sign of the instation workers.


    "Uchiha Sasuke? Are you the one who ordered the air conditioner instation service at the store yesterday?" A girl in a uniform, about the same height as Naruto, peeked out from behind a cardboard box. Her eyes immediately met Naruto''s, and she froze on the spot.


    ¡®That look couldn¡¯t be wrong¡­ Tayuya?¡¯


    "Are you Uchiha Sasuke?" The girl frowned, nced at the card in her hand, then gave Naruto another look.


    Tayuya didn''t admit it, and Naruto didn''t expose her either, and continued to fool her.


    "Yes, that''s me. I''m Uchiha Sasuke."


    "I remember that the Uchiha n has no blondes." The girl muttered.


    "It was dyed." Naruto lied without batting an eye.


    "Oh, I see." The girl nced at Naruto again, then disyed astonishing strength, directly carrying the tworge air conditioners inside.


    Air conditioners were a luxury item that appeared around the same time as refrigerators, but they are expensive enough that ordinary civilians couldn''t afford them. Fortunately, Naruto was not an ordinary person. He bought two at once, which could be regarded as helping the store make a profit.


    "Just install one, the other doesn''t need to be installed, just leave it there." Naruto instructed.


    "Okay."


    The instation process was long and boring, with Naruto watching the entire time. He handed a popsicle to the girl with a swish once the work was done.


    "Thank you." The girl didn¡¯t refuse. She sat cross-legged on the ground skillfully, enjoying the cool breeze from the air conditioner.


    "Um, you recognized me, didn''t you?"


    "Sort of." Naruto licked his popsicle, lying on the ground and asking, "So you''ve just been doing odd jobs during this time?"


    "Yeah." Tayuya nodded, "The other three idiots couldn''t learn, so I had to take over."


    "Oh." Naruto thought to himself, ¡®It turns out that undercover agents also have to do odd jobs, it must be tough.¡¯


    ¡°Sofortable.¡±


    "Yeah, it¡¯s sofortable." Tayuya agreed, imitating Naruto by lying on the ground and closing her eyes.


    After who knows how long¡­


    "Want to eat barbecue?" Naruto suddenly asked.


    "Probably don''t have time." Tayuya replied.


    "That''s a shame," Naruto said, "I don''t feel like going alone."


    "Mmm."


    ¡­


    The next day, inside the seal space.


    Kyubi looked at the pile of furniture that was like a small mountain and couldn''t help feeling speechless. He then looked at Naruto, who was using a water pump to drain the waste water and said, "Human, is this how you use the Four Symbols Seal? To seal a bunch of home appliances?"


    Upon hearing this, Naruto stopped what he was doing, rolled up his sleeves and shouted at Kyubi, "Just tell me whether you want it or not, bastard!"


    "I will ept it with reluctance, but don''t expect me to treat you kindly." Kyubi said proudly.


    "Tsk." Naruto said without looking back, "Kurama, I''m not doing this for you. I just have too much money and don''t know where to spend it. I was just bored, so I took pity on you and got you all these things."


    "Hmph, you think I need your pity?"


    "In that case, then this DVD yer..."


    "Pity me, please." Kyubi quickly gave in, and Naruto''s mouth curled into a smile.


    He had already let Kyubi experience the joy of using a DVD yer, and this fox had be addicted to it. It was over for him.


    "Alright, I''ll pity you then." Naruto swiftly ced the DVD yer within Kyubi¡¯s reach, wiped his sweat and said, "That over there is an air conditioner. I doubt you''ll need it, but it doesn''t matter. It''s a gift for you."


    "That one over there is a refrigerator, and that one is..." Naruto listed a bunch of things, "Do you understand now?"


    Kyubi didn''t understand at all, but he nodded anyway.


    "Human, don''t underestimate my wisdom!"

 Chapter 60 Jiraiya

    Chapter 60 Jiraiya


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    Naruto didn''t really care whether Kyubi truly understood or not, after all, he was just acting on a whim. He had promised Kyubist time, so he just did it while he was not busy.


    With a snap of his fingers, Naruto''s consciousness disappeared from the seal space.


    The sky gradually darkened and the midsummer night was stifling.


    At the entrance of the convenience store, Naruto, who crouching by the roadside and licking an ice cream, saw a pair of men''s legs appeared before him.


    "What?"


    "Annoying brat, call me the Toad Sage! And don''t block the way!"


    The self-proimed Toad Sage was an old man with a head full of unruly white hair, a forehead protector with the kanji for ''oil¡¯, dressed in a mesh training suit with a tea-colored lining, and a red outer robe. His cheeks were adorned with two vertical red stripes of face paint.


    "Old man, you are still acting so immaturely at your age." Naruto recognized Jiraiya, but had no intention of moving out of the way.


    He licked his ice cream and nced at Jiraiya sideways before saying.


    "What a pitiful adult."


    "You little brat, speak with some respect, or you''ll get beaten up!" Jiraiya couldn''t bear it anymore, and the smile on his face could hardly be maintained. He rolled up his sleeves and threatened like a rogue.


    "Hey, old man, you''d better be careful. Last time I saw you using low-level tricks to peep into the women''s bath." Naruto slurped his ice cream. His forehead is bare since he had gotten used to not wearing his forehead protector when not on missions.


    After all, no one cared, so he could do whatever he wanted.


    "Low-level tricks?" Jiraiya frowned, "What do you know, kid? I was collecting material."


    "You got pped when trying to flirt with someone, followed girls like a pervert and got chased through eight streets, and..."


    "You''ve been spying on me?" Jiraiya was astonished, "How did you know that?"


    "I have be a VIP at all the hot spring baths in Konoha."


    "Damn it, how does a kid like you have so much money?" A cold sweat broke out on Jiraiya''s forehead and he began to realize that something was off.


    "If you have money, you can do whatever you want." After that, Naruto finished his ice cream, stood up with an ice cream stick in his hand, looked at Jiraiya and said, "Old man, I think you are a down-and-out writer, right?"


    "Oh? What makes you say that?" Jiraiya''s interest was piqued, and a small smile of expectation appeared on his face.


    "It''s easy to tell. You look sleazy, you''re perverted, you act suspiciously, and you talk about collecting material. If you''re not a writer, then you must be a pervert."


    Hearing Naruto''s words which did not sound like praise, Jiraiya''s smile froze.


    Ignoring Jiraiya''s expression, Naruto continued speaking to himself, "But I guess even if you are a writer, you''re probably the kind that writes 18+ stuff and doesn''t have any decent works."


    "You little brat, don''t judge a book by its cover! My books are bestsellers, timeless ssics!" Jiraiya couldn''t stand Naruto''s dismissive tone and argued back, feeling a little angry.


    "Timeless ssics? Old man, have you read ''The Plum in the Golden Vase¡¯?" (T/N: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Ping_Mei)


    "The Plum... in the what?" Jiraiya was taken aback. He got goose bumps just from hearing the title of the book.


    Plum blossoms have a special status in the Shinobi World. They are more beautiful than cherry blossoms. Geishas wear plum blossoms in February, and girls from the Land of Fire would say something like, ¡®My heart is like plum blossoms.¡¯ to their crushes, simr to confessing love by saying ¡®The moon is beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡¯. (T/N: In Japan, ¡®The moon is beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ is a more poetic way of saying I love you.)


    ¡®Such a pure and elegant flower should be housed in the most graceful container, yet the Golden Vase, with its crude appearance, paired with the plum, evokes an unattainable yet decadent allure.¡¯


    ¡®Just from the name, one can tell it''s a work of genius!¡¯


    "Tell me quickly, where can I buy that book?" Jiraiya grabbed Naruto''s hand and asked with a little excitement.


    "It''s an ancient book I found in a garbage heap. I was fortunate enough to read it, but it was a fragmentary copy." Naruto casually broke the ice cream stick and then told Jiraiya a story of Pan Jinlian. (T/N: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Jinlian)


    Even though Naruto spoke incoherently and his words were random, Jiraiya was still able to immerse himself in the story. A good story transcends dimensions, and Jiraiya''s eyes lit up when he heard it, but then the story came to an abrupt end.


    "That''s it? Why don¡¯t you keep going?" Jiraiya was a bit frustrated.


    "I forgot." Naruto tossed the broken stick into the trash and said, "And I need to go home now."


    Jiraiya was halfway through listening to the story when his inspiration burst forth. He could never let Naruto leave like that, and hurriedly followed him.


    "How can you just walk away halfway through telling a story? Can you at least tell me what happened after knocking over the bamboo pole? It sounds so bitter and there''s a lot of stories behind it."


    "I said I forgot, so I forgot." Naruto ignored Jiraiya and walked forward without looking back.


    "You little brat, why can''t you make sense!" Jiraiya stretched out his big hand and grabbed forward, trying to grab Naruto.


    But Naruto seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, and dodged Jiraiya''s grab with a sudden sideways movement.


    Seeing this, Jiraiya''s pupils widened, ¡®My grabbing speed should not be slow. It was not something a Genin could dodge.¡¯


    He reached out again, but Naruto jumped away.


    In a few steps, Naruto climbed up the tree and disappeared onto the roof in the blink of an eye.


    Jiraiya stood in ce. The night wind brushed against his wide robe. He was stunned for a moment, then chuckled.


    ¡®This kid was theplete opposite of his father''s temperament. If Minato and Kushina were still here, they would probably find him quite troublesome.¡¯


    Walking in his wooden clogs, Jiraiya sighed and walked away in the opposite direction.


    He hadn''t nned toe back this time. His ideals didn''t align with those of the old folks in Konoha. So he felt that it was better to collect intelligence outside than stay in this oppressive vige.


    After leaving, Naruto didn''t go home. Instead, he wandered the streets for a while, then went went to the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    He hadn''t seen Hinata in a month, and their nned barbecue was naturally nowhere in sight. After a month of wandering the streets, Naruto had be a proficient street lurker. However, this boring life would soon end, because tomorrow was the finals of the Chunin Exams.


    Ino, who was watching the shop boredly, was about to close it when the wind chimes at the door rang.


    "Wee¡­ Naruto?" Ino blinked, "Why are you here?"


    ¡°Buy flowers.¡±


    "Eh? Naruto, you actually know how to buy flowers?" Ino said this, but she still stood up, "Let me help you choose, who are you going to give them to?"


    "Please don''t pry into customers'' privacy, okay?" Naruto quipped, "I want a white chrysanthemum. Please wrap it up for me."


    "Hmm?" Ino wrapped up the white chrysanthemum neatly, looked up and asked, "Are you going tomemorate someone?"


    "Oh, yeah." Naruto couldn''t say that he prepared this flower for Sandaime for convenience.

 Chapter 61 Sincerity is The Ultimate Weapon

    Chapter 61 Sincerity is The Ultimate Weapon


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    "I''m sorry, please ept my condolences." Ino said with some guilt.


    "You don''t need to apologize for something like that." Naruto replied, taking the white chrysanthemum. As he was about to pay, he noticed a red flower.


    Maybe thinking one flower was too few, he habitually added another and pointed at the red flower, "Ino, could you wrap that flower for me too?"


    "Huh? That one? Okay." Ino turned around to take the flower and wrapped it up quickly, "That will be fifty ryo."


    "Are you going to give it to Sakura? She seems to be training with the medical departmenttely."


    Naruto paid, took the flowers and handed the wrapped rose to Ino.


    "Ah?" Ino was stunned for a moment, "Is there something wrong with the flower?"


    "For you." Naruto pushed the flower towards Ino again and Ino reached out to take it.


    "Why are you giving me a flower all of a sudden?" Ino was a little confused. She didn''t expect Naruto to buy a flower for her, though her family didn''tck flowers¡­


    "No particr reason. I just thought of it. Thanks for looking out for me, Ino." Naruto put away the white chrysanthemum and said to Ino while staring at her.


    "Though that makes sense, it still feels strange." Ino looked away and said with a dryugh, "It feels very grown-up, giving each other flowers or something like that."


    "Don''t say weird things like that. If you don''t want it, then I won''t give it to you." Naruto said, reaching to take the flower back.


    "No way! You can''t take back a gift that''s been given away. Besides... I didn''t say I didn''t want it." Ino clutched the wrapped rose tightly.


    Naruto was just putting on a show and had no intention of actually taking it back, so he took the opportunity to say goodbye and left.


    The next day.


    The Anbu found the body of Gekko Hayate on a rooftop. His body had been cut by a sharp de and there was a fatal wound on his neck.


    At the same time, the finals of the Chunin Exams jointly held by the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire was about to begin. Unlike the first two rounds, the finals would be held in an arena that could amodate 10,000 people, and the nobles of the Land of Fire would attend it.


    For these well-off nobles, watching Shinobi fight was as elegant as hosting a silver party at home.


    Nobles owned vastnds and production tools, and the rent they collected each year, along with tax incentives from the Land of Fire, were enough for their daily extravagance. Naruto used to envy these rich people, and he still envied them now.


    Although those people weren''t as rich as he was now, they knew how to enjoy life.


    Unlike Naruto, who has money but can''t spend it all. Buying expensive appliances, eating barbecue, and soaking in baths everywhere was his spending limit. His body was still too young to do any money-burning activities.


    The atmosphere inside and outside the arena was festive, like a grand celebration. The streets were bustling with people, vendors energetically selling their goods, with drinks and dango being the most popr.


    Naruto walked down the street, carrying a bag of food in the direction of the training ground.


    Perhaps due to the Chunin Exams¡¯ finals, the training ground was deserted, with everyone likely heading to therge arena. After all, on such a grand day, who would go to a remote training ground to train?


    Naruto wasn''t there to train either, as he had never trained at all.


    It was still early, and the forest in the morning was exceptionally quiet. Standing in the training ground, Naruto looked around as if searching for something.


    "Naruto-kun, why are you here?"


    Suddenly, Hinata''s figure timidly emerged from behind a wooden stake in the training ground, and she asked nervously while clenching her hands.


    At this time, Hinata was light blue long-sleeved vintage top and ck three-quarter straight pants, which made her look both elegant and beautiful.


    "Sending you some food." Naruto lifted the brown paper bag in his hand and said, "Didn''t we make an appointment to have barbecuest time? I haven''t seen you since."


    "Sorry, I''ve been training all the time, so..." Hinata lowered her head. She didn''t want to say that her father hadpletely ignored her, causing her to train relentlessly just to prove herself.


    "It''s okay." Naruto walked over, handed the paper bag to Hinata and said, "Hinata, with your effort, you''ll definitely be stronger."


    "I haven''t changed at all." Hinata said dejectedly, "Last time, facing Neji-niisan, I could onlyst a few rounds because of you, Naruto-kun. If it were just me, I probably wouldn''t havested even one round."


    "You can''t think like that." Naruto pulled out one dango from the bag and took a bite as heforted her, "Hinata, the fact that you kept fighting even when you knew you couldn''t win is brave enough."


    "Bing stronger is not something that can be done overnight. You have to have some confidence in yourself."


    "Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata looked up and smiled again, "I understand. I will keep trying my best."


    "Then, do you want to some?"


    "Um."


    Hinata felt a bit uneasy under Naruto''s honest gaze and was suddenly at a loss for what to do.


    "This is dango, that is fried tempura, and there''s cake." Naruto said, rummaging through the bag and handing them to Hinata, "You can eat these, right?"


    ¡°Ah, I can.¡±


    "And what about this? This seems tasty too, though I haven''t tried it much myself. But the shop owner said it''s very popr with girls." Naruto pulled out various snacks, genuinely appearing to havee just to give Hinata something to eat.


    "Naruto-kun."


    "Hmm?" Naruto looked up and stared at Hinata.


    "Thank you."


    "Okay."


    Hinata was taken aback. No one would respond with just ¡®okay¡¯. Normally, wouldn''t someone say ¡®you''re wee¡¯? Naruto''s ¡®okay¡¯ left Hinata at a loss for words, and her face turned red instantly.


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "I was just wondering why you''re being so nice to me, Naruto-kun?" Hinata looked away and said, "I''m not a very likable person. I fail at everything I do, and I''m a coward."


    "You''re doing great. I don''t know why you''re so self-conscious, but I think you''re really kind to others. Your teammates must like you a lot. Don''t worry about things like that."


    Hearing this, Hinata raised her head and nced at him secretly, her movements were as cute as a kitten. Then, she quickly lowered her head again, an embarrassed expression appeared on her face, and she pursed her lips slightly, revealing a faint smile.


    Naruto''s unexpected honesty made Hinata show a rare smile that she wouldn''t normally reveal to others. Even though Naruto didn''t have romantic feelings for Hinata at this moment, his heartbeat still inevitably quickened upon seeing Hinata¡¯s current appearance.


    "Naruto-kun, I''m really happy." Hinata said with a soft smile and stuttered slightly, "This is the first time someone praises me like that¡­ So..."


    "You''ll hear it often from now on, so it''s okay." Naruto said, "The Chunin Exams is about to begin, aren''t you going?"


    "Sorry, Naruto-kun, I made an appointment with Kiba and Shino to go together." Hinata said, looking apologetic.


    "It''s okay, I''ll head over first then." Naruto said, waving goodbye to Hinata, "See youter, Hinata. Keep your spirits up!"


    "Yes." Hinata blushed, smiling shyly.


    "Goodbye, Naruto-kun."

 Chapter 62 Uzumaki Naruto, You Are Under Arrest!

    Chapter 62 Uzumaki Naruto, You Are Under Arrest!


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    [Progress with Hinata, Kyubi¡¯s approval 16.1%]


    Naruto walked into the venue and had to search for a while before finding his group.


    Ino and Sakura, who didn''t need to participate, were sitting together and were talking about something. Choji, who was munching on chips, was watching the lively scene with great interest. When he saw Narutoing, he quickly raised his chubby hand and waved enthusiastically.


    ¡°Here! Over here!¡±


    Seeing this, Naruto squeezed through the dense crowd and found a seat. The four of them sat in a row, with Naruto next to Choji. Before sitting down, Naruto asked, "Choji, are you feeling better?"


    In the preliminary after the second round of the Chunin Exams, Choji was narrowly defeated by Kiba. After taking one of his special pill, Choji''s body was severely exhausted that he had to be carried to Konoha Hospital by the medical team.


    "I''mpletely fine now!" Choji replied with a big smile, "But sending four or five boxes of fruit was a bit much, Naruto. My dad was surprised by that. I don''t even like fruit that much."


    "Being picky isn''t a good habit. You should eat fruit regrly during your recovery, Choji."


    The moment Naruto sat down, he habitually reached out and grabbed a handful of chips. At the same time, Naruto picked up a paper bag and distributed the canned drinks he had prepared to the three of them. However, when he looked up, he saw Sakura on the far left seemed a little absent-minded.


    "What''s wrong, Sakura?"


    "Huh? What?"


    Sakura, who was called, suddenly came to her senses and met Naruto''s puzzled gaze.


    "You seem worried about something."


    "Sakura''s probably worried about Sasuke. She hasn''t seen him for a month." Ino said.


    Sakura didn''t deny it. She just lowered her head and said with a depressed look, "Kakashi-sensei came to me half a month ago. He said that the Cursed Seal on Sasuke has serious side effects and there might be idents during training. He asked me to find a way to reserve a bed for Sasuke."


    "And then?" Ino asked.


    Sakura shook her head and said, "Nothing happened."


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Naruto cracked open the can and took a sip, "Sasuke has always wanted to be stronger. He has also talked about revenge before. If the Cursed Seal can give him strength..."


    "But that''s too dangerous." Sakura said with a worried look on her face.


    "Well, Sasuke has a match today, right?" Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Ino spoke up to smooth things over.


    Naruto didn''t say anything further. He knew Sasuke lived for revenge and it was impossible for him to settle down peacefully as Sakura wished.


    A boy''s hatred grows like wild grass in a wastnd. Just a spark can ignite a wildfire.


    Sakura couldn''t understand the depth of Sasuke''s desire for revenge, and no one could truly empathize with it. If one day, Sasuke let go of his hatred, he would be dead inside at that moment, bing merely a shell of his former self.


    As apanion, it is was better to let him pursue his revenge than to try to stop him. But even so, Naruto wouldn''t try to change Sakura''s mind either.


    The matches on the arena had begun. Naruto knew that Kankuro would definitely give up right away, and Neji would advance without fighting.


    The moment the two stepped onto the arena, the crowd roared in excitement. They didn''t understand what being a Shinobi truly meant, nor did they know what Ninjutsu was. They just followed their own way of life, celebrating mindlessly. Even if they are trash, they believed the vige''s Shinobi would protect them.


    Naruto tilted his head back and took a sip of the drink, holding the can with his well-defined fingers. Hearing the cheers erupting from the venue with tens of thousands of people, and looking at their excited expressions, he couldn¡¯t help but felt that they¡¯re the same as spectators in a diator arena.


    The very idea of ??changing a person''s mind is ridiculous.


    As the match began, Kankuro indeed forfeited immediately, allowing Neji to advance. advance. With the first round ending in a forfeit, the second round between Kiba and Shino started directly. The two fought evenly.


    The Inuzuka n and the Aburame n both rely on animals for their sensory abilities in reconnaissance, making the battle quite intriguing. However, when Shino''s swarm of insects enveloped the battlefield, the audience couldn''t see anything, and Kiba had already fallen when the insects dispersed.


    The third match was between Gaara and Sasuke, which was also the main attraction of this Chunin Exams. However, Sasuke didn''t show up on time, and after a long discussion, the referee team was about to dere Sasuke¡¯s disqualification.


    The crowd was furious, and started shouting insults andints!


    "I bet everything on that Uchiha brat to win, and now you''re telling me there''s no match?"


    "Can''t you dy it? Why is he disqualified? We''ve waited so long, and this is all you show us?"


    "F*ck! Refund!" Naruto shouted as he stood up.


    "Refund! Refund!"


    Suddenly, the call for refunds spread like wildfire from the upper cheap seats to the lower stands. Choji, who is sitting beside Naruto, was dumbfounded, dropping his chips and staring at Naruto in shock.


    Naruto turned to see the confused faces of Choji, Ino, and Sakura. He frowned and said, "Come on, let¡¯s shout together! Do you want Sasuke to be disqualified?"


    Without waiting for their response, Naruto jumped onto the railing to continue shouting in protest. Relying on the fact that he is a Shinobi, he threw the can in his hand into the arena and shouted an extremely inmmatory roar.


    "Stop rigging the match! Dy it!"


    The spectators grew even more agitated, directing their protests at the referee team led by Genma!


    "Dy it! We want to watch Uchiha Sasuke''s match!!"


    "Dy it! I have invested all my wealth in the Uchiha brat! If you don''t dy it, I''ll jump from here!"


    Just as Naruto was about to incite a full-blown riot, two handsnded on his shoulders. He looked up and saw two Anbu.


    Naruto''s face immediately turned awkward. He coughed and shouted at the front, "Everyone, calm down! Where''s your decorum? This is too much!"


    The Anbu¡¯s members stared coldly at Naruto, their hands gripping his shoulders like iron mps.


    "Uzumaki Naruto, you''re under arrest for inciting a riot."


    "You''ve got the wrong person, hey!" Naruto protested, but was still dragged away, "Damn it, I want to see Hokage-sama!"


    "Hokage-sama doesn''t have time to see you!"


    "I''m aw-abiding viger, you can''t arrest me! Hey! I''ve made invaluable contributions to the peace of the vige!"


    As the Anbu dragged Naruto away, Naruto''s voice gradually faded away. Sakura, Ino, and Choji in the stands were all dumbfounded. They looked at each other, feeling as if reality had be surreal!


    "Naruto, he..." Choji opened his mouth, but didn''t know what to say.


    "I''m worried." Sakura stood up and started walking in the direction the Anbu had taken Naruto.


    "Sakura, I''ll go with you!" Ino quickly got up and followed.


    "What can you do even if you go?"


    Choji sat there, but before he could put a mouthful of chips into his mouth, he suddenly froze as if he realized something.


    His pupils dted and he stood up suddenly. He didn''t even care about the chips that fell on the ground. He turned around and jogged to catch up, "Wait! Those two weren''t Anbu!"


    At that moment,rge snowkes began to fall from the sky, as if someone were singing a luby, lulling everyone into a dream.

 Chapter 63 Law-Abiding Villager is Afraid Sandaime Hokage Won’t Die

    Chapter 63 Law-Abiding Viger is Afraid Sandaime Hokage Won¡¯t Die


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    ¡°Hey, I think you should let me go now.¡± Narutoined while kicking his feet in the air.


    "You''re annoying, brat!" One of the supposed Anbu¡¯s members said, "Keep talking, and I''ll rip out your tongue."


    "Then pull it out, ah~" Naruto said provocatively, then opened his mouth wide and stuck out his tongue.


    "You''re asking for it!"


    As they spoke, the two men reached out to grab Naruto''s head. However, Naruto was not idle either, and he actually drew a sword from the seal space and shed at the two men.


    Originally, he nned to drag these two into the seal space and let Kyubi swallow them. Anyway, as long as they entered the seal space, they could hardly cause any trouble unless they were extremely powerful Shinobi. However, due to his consciousness needing to enter with the two, he abandoned the idea for safety.


    He swung the de, followed closely by a wind de.


    The two fake Anbu¡¯s members jumped in opposite directions, but the next second, Naruto switched positions with a Flying Thunder God Kunai and fiercely pressed the moltenva on the face of the Anbu¡¯s members, who had been exposed long ago.


    The sensation was more intense than eating extremely spicy noodles.


    Another fake Anbu didn''t expect Naruto to be so brutal, and was stunned for a second by hispanion''s melted face. It was this second that allowed Naruto to seize the opportunity.


    He threw out three kunai, one of which was a Flying Thunder God Kunai.


    Using the same trick, Naruto performed the Lava Release: Face Press Technique again!


    A scream erupted and quickly ceased as life drained away.


    Meanwhile, Sakura pushed through the crowd, gritting her teeth as she chased the direction where the Anbu took Naruto.


    But for some reason, the more she chased, the more people blocked her way.


    It felt like everyone in the arena had the same face, and the stands seemed endless. Sakura felt an overwhelming coldness ahead and a chilling sensation under her feet.


    All the noise and bustle disappeared, and she copsed to the ground, almost copsing.


    "Sakura, wake up, Sasuke¡¯s here."


    A familiar voice woke her up, and Sakura opened her eyes to see Naruto squatting next to her with a mischievous grin.


    "Young Master Sasuke is indeed the most useful one to wake you up."


    Before he could finish his words, Sakura suddenly hugged him tightly and burst into tears for no reason. Hearing the long suppressed cry, Naruto was confused and felt his shoulder get wet.


    He looked up and made eye contact with Ino, who had just broken the Genjutsu and stood behind Sakura, and he felt embarrassed for a moment.


    "I¡¯ll go find Choji." Naruto handed Sakura over to Ino and quickly ran off.


    Choji was sleeping soundly in the crowd, and when Naruto woke him up, his brain was obviously still not fully aware of what was happening.


    "Where are the Anbu?"


    "What Anbu? You must have remembered it wrongly."


    Naruto coughed, helping Choji up and pointing to the purple barrier over the highest stand and the audiences, who were all in deep sleep.


    "Choji, the enemy is here."


    "Enemy!" Choji''s plump body shuddered, "Where¡¯s Shikamaru?"


    "Next to you." Naruto pointed to the boy in the fis shirt lying on the ground.


    "Naruto, why don''t you help Shikamaru break the Genjutsu?" Choji hurried over and shook Shikamaru desperately, "Shikamaru, wake up! The enemy ising!"


    "Because I don''t know how to break Genjutsu." Naruto squatted aside and grumbled.


    The order in the venue has copsed. The Shinobi from Sunagakure and Otogakure have infiltrated the entire vige. The audiences in the stands are all under a Genjutsu-induced sleep. At the highest spot, the Hokage¡¯s viewing tform was already encased in a purple Four Violet mes Formation, isting the Anbu guards from the Hokage.


    The Hokage has been isted, and arge number of Sunagakure and Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi are rushing here.


    In the arena, Guy and Kakashi had just arrived with Sasuke. The Konoha Crush n had started prematurely, and Gaara was still at full strength. Now, only the Genin were able to move freely.


    "Shikamaru!" Choji shouted while shaking Shikamaru.


    "Damn it! Stop shaking me! Are you stupid?" Shikamaru grabbed Choji, "I don''t want to get involved in this mess! I¡¯m not going!"


    Choji: ¡°¡­¡±


    Kakashi flickered over and knocked away several flying kunai. He nced at Naruto, then at Sakura, who came running, summoned his Ninken, Pakkun, and spoke with a serious face, "Team 7, emergency assembly. You¡¯ve got A-Rank mission: stop Sunagakure¡¯s Gaara from destroying the vige."


    Lee, Neji, and Tenten also arrived. Guy ordered them to assist the Torture and Interrogation Force in protecting Konoha and stopping the enemy. Kurenai¡¯s team, consisting of Kiba, Hinata, and Shino, were given reconnaissance tasks.


    Asuma hadn¡¯t arrived, so Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji were assigned by Kakashi to protect the Land of Fire¡¯s nobles. The new generation Ino-Shika-Cho had a special status in Konoha, and these three are not his students, Kakashi couldn¡¯t just give them dangerous missions.


    "Move out!" Kakashi and Guy ordered at the same time.


    The Genin split into groups and immediately disappeared in different directions.


    Guy''s team, skilled in Taijutsu, was formidable, and each member a monster in their own right. Lee with unrestricted use of the Eight Gates, Neji with Revolving Heaven¡¯s absolute defense, and Tenten with her weapons mastery. For these veteran Genin, the task of assisting the Chunin in stopping the invading enemies is not too difficult.


    "Kakashi, isn¡¯t the mission for Team 7 too dangerous?" Guy kicked a Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi away with a Konoha Whirlwind, and said back-to-back with Kakashi.


    "Well, I am well aware of the strength of my students." Kakashi saidzily, "Anyway, I believe they are already excellent Genin and can work together toplete the mission."


    ¡­


    "Is your Cursed Seal okay?" Naruto asked casually during the run.


    "Yeah." Sasuke responded coldly.


    Sakura didn¡¯t say anything, and just followed closely behind the two. The urgency of the mission made it challenging for her. This is a real life-and-death battle, forcing her to discard all distracting thoughts and focus entirely.


    As the forest grew denser, the Ninken, Pakkun, who had apanied the three on this mission, suddenly shrugged andined to Naruto, "Brat, why do you have such strong smell of blood on you?"


    Hearing this, Sakura was startled, and she remembered something. She was under a Genjutsu at that time, and she forgot to ask Naruto how he escaped from the two fake Anbu.


    "Me?" Naruto grabbed his clothes and sniffed them as he ran, "I don¡¯t smell anything."


    "Do you have my nose?" Three ck lines appeared on Pakkun¡¯s forehead.


    "Ah, the two Anbu who caught me started fighting each other. I stood there and watched the excitement for a while." Naruto lied calmly, "There are so many crazy people these days."


    "Hey, at least try to lie convincingly. Doesn''t your conscience hurt for deceiving a senior?" Pakkun nced at the blond boy beside him.


    "Conscience? I don¡¯t have such a thing. Stop nagging." Naruto retorted dissatisfiedly.


    "By the way, with the vige in such a state, do you think the Hokage will die?"

 Chapter 64 I Might Not Be Human, But You’re Definitely a Dog

    Chapter 64 I Might Not Be Human, But You¡¯re Definitely a Dog


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    "The Hokage is really strong. How could he die?" Pakkun nced at Naruto, "Konoha has been in chaos before, and it turned out fine."


    "But I bought flower." Naruto said out of nowhere.


    In his heart, he added, ¡®If Sandaime doesn''t die, wouldn''t the flower I have bought be wasted?¡¯


    "Huh? What flower?" Pakkun looked confused.


    Naruto didn¡¯t reply, just muttering in his heart about how he specifically bought the best white chrysanthemum for 30 ryo.


    "There are enemies chasing us, about eight of them." Pakkun suddenly said.


    As Kakashi¡¯s Ninken, Pakkun¡¯s sense of smell was exceptionally keen, even among other Ninken. moment the enemies appeared behind them, Pakkun easily sensed their presence and counted their numbers.


    "Pakkun, can you sense their strength?" Sasuke asked.


    "I¡¯m a sensory Ninken, not some fortune-telling toad sage."


    "If we don¡¯t deal with them soon, we''ll end up being attacked from both sides, right?" Sakura asked.


    "Yeah, we need to take care of them first." Sasuke said, "The terrain of Konoha Forest is favorable to us. If we set up an ambush, we might be able to catch them off guard."


    "In that case, let¡¯s do it!" Naruto nodded seriously.


    "Pakkun, stay behind and ambush them."


    "What!!!"


    Sasuke: ¡°¡­¡±


    Sakura: ¡°(T-T)¡±


    The forest was lush and green, with giant trees blocking out the sun. The three of them, plus Pakkun, moved swiftly, leaping from tree to tree.


    Pakkun looked at the blond boy in the team with contempt. Thetter did not show any guilt on his face and even showed a serious smile.


    "We¡¯re counting on you, Pakkun."


    "Damn it! I''m a sensory Ninken, not a fighting dog. If you want to make a wish, go to a shrine! Brat, you¡¯re definitely a dog!"


    "What does it matter? You won''t die."


    "But it¡¯ll hurt! Damn it! How did Kakashi end up with a student like you?"


    "Ninken are also Shinobi, right? Isn¡¯t endurance a virtue?"


    "Be a human, please! I¡¯m begging you!"


    Listening to the quarrel between a man and a dog, Sasuke''s face was full of ck lines, and he coldly interrupted them.


    "Stop arguing! Pakkun, how far are the enemies?"


    "Less than 3,000 meters."


    Sasuke stopped, leaned against a tree, then turned to look at Sakura and Naruto, and said, "We¡¯ll wait for them here."


    The surrounding branches and leaves were dense, casting dim light on the area. The towering trees blocked out most of the sunlight, and the few beams that made it through were sparse, creating thin, nearly transparent wisps of mist in the air.


    Before the battle began, Naruto suddenly spoke up, "Sakura, get ready with the Genjutsu."


    "The Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi are too strong. We have to be careful."


    Hearing this, Sakura nodded seriously, indicating that she understood.


    Pakkun, on the other hand, felt a bit nervous. During the mission in the Land of Waves, Zabuza and Haku had died too quickly, so Kakashi hadn¡¯t summoned the Ninken to assist him in battle. As a result, Pakkun wasn¡¯t fully aware of the strength of Kakashi¡¯s three students.


    Pakkun nced to the side, noticing that the normally indifferent Sasuke¡¯s eyes had turned blood-red, an intense and frightening sight.


    Then, looking the other way, he saw Naruto pulling out a sword from seemingly nowhere.


    ¡®Huh??? A sword??¡¯


    ¡®Wait a minute, where did this kid pull out that sword from? It looks so familiar. Isn¡¯t that the same kind of sword Kakashi used when he was in the Anbu?¡¯


    Sakura''s mind was in chaos. Facing the imminent battle, she was almost too nervous to stop her frantic, uncontroble thoughts.


    The medical department was almost full of weirdos, and it wasmon to see them performing surgery with a Chakra Scalpel while casually chatting. Sometimes, with a pot simmering on the stove with a patient¡¯s leg bone, the Medical-nin would discuss which shop in Konoha had the best bone broth.


    Over time, Sakura thought she had grown desensitized, and as long as things weren¡¯t too outrageous, her heart wouldn¡¯t be shaken.


    But now, the more nervous she got, the more her mind was zapped by all sorts of random thoughts.


    During her month of training in the medical department, she often afraid that something might happen to Sasuke. safety. But the more she worried, the more odd thoughts would pop into her head.


    For example, she really hoped Sasuke is seriously injured and dying, so that she can see him.


    Three kilometers wasn¡¯t a long distance, leaving the group little time to prepare.


    "They¡¯re here!" Parker reminded.


    Sakura steeled herself, watching as several shadows quickly descended from the trees in the distance. She swiftly formed hand seals, casting a Genjutsu in advance.


    The light around them flickered, and the forest seemed to take on an unreal quality. The eight Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, whonded nearby, immediately sensed something was off, but it was already toote.


    The eight masked Shinobi, wearing Otogakure¡¯s forehead protectors,nded in a triangr formation, scanning their surroundings warily.


    Suddenly, several kunai shot out from the trees, sharp and precise like arrows. But the Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi merely sneered and leapt away.


    At the moment they jumped, something unexpected happened.


    The nearly invisible steel wires in the air tightened abruptly. Four of the Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, who were deeply trapped in the Genjutsu and had slow reactions, did not noticed the steel wires at all. They only realized something was wrong when they were instantly restrained and tied tightly to the tree trunk.


    ¡®That¡¯s the Uchiha n¡¯s Windmill Triple de!¡¯ Pakkun, hidden in the shadows, was stunned.


    On the battlefield, the Uchiha n was renowned not only for their Sharingan and taijutsu, but also for their nearly mystical Shurikenjutsu. Shurikenjutsu was a fundamental secret skill of the Uchiha, and the Windmill Triple de, whichbined shuriken with steel wires, was a more intricate technique.


    Sasuke controlled the steel wires with his hands and teeth, tightening them with force. At the same time, he released the steel wires and quickly formed the ¡®Tiger¡¯ hand seal.


    Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!


    Sasuke wlessly executed the C-Rank offensive Ninjutsu he had used against Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. The fire directly engulfed the four bound Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, and in the next moment, Sasuke activated his Chidori, charging forward to finish them off.


    On the other side, Naruto and Sakura coordinated to deal with the remaining four Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi in a brief moment of stunned surprise in mid-air, thanks to the Genjutsu.


    Naruto swiftly stabbed one in the neck with his sword, and blood sttered immediately.


    Before the blood could even stain his clothes, Naruto¡¯s figure vanished. The Flying Thunder God kunai had just reached the air above the other two Shinobi¡¯s heads. Naruto directly activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, stored the sword into the seal space, and instantly activated his Lava Release.


    Same old form, same old taste.


    Naruto pped the two stunned Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi in the face, scalding them withva, killing them instantly.


    Thest Shinobi was already hit in the throat by two of Sakura¡¯s kunai, ending his life.


    The eight Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, two entire squads, were annihted in an instant. Pakkun, hiding in the shadows, nearly spat out blood.


    ¡®This is what you meant by ¡®the Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi are too strong¡¯?¡¯

 Chapter 65 Beg For Mercy?

    Chapter 65 Beg For Mercy?


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    ¡°The enemies are too scary.¡± Narutoined as he moved away.


    "Mm-hmm," Sakura nodded in agreement.


    In this ambush battle, tactics like long-range Genjutsubined with kunai throwing were the wisest choice. Even though she has mastered the Chakra Scalpel Technique, Medical-nin shouldn''t engage in closebat unless absolutely necessary.


    Not everyone is Tsunade. That princess with extraordinary strength and nearly immortal health-recovering Ninjutsu can only be described as legendary.


    Pakkunsaid nothing and remained silent throughout.


    Sasuke kept a nk expression, asionally asking Pakkun how far they were from Gaara while on the move.


    "Hey, Pakkun, who do you think is stronger, Sandaime Hokage or Orochimaru?" Naruto asked out of boredom.


    Pakkun was somewhat speechless. Although he didn''t want to pay attention to this blond kid, he had to since they were on a mission together.


    "Orochimaru is Sandaime Hokage¡¯s disciple. As everyone know, a disciple certainly cannot beat his teacher."


    "That''s not necessarily true." Naruto said, "People''s reactions and physical strength will decline as they get older, and Orochimaru looks pretty young."


    "You little brat, are you hoping something happens to the Sandaime Hokage?" Pakkun sensed something amiss and looked at Naruto speechlessly.


    "How could that be? I''m aw-abiding viger." Naruto chuckled.


    After a while, he broke the silence again.


    "Pakkun, Orochimaru is still stronger, right?"


    "We''re almost catching up." Pakkun reminded them solemnly.


    Upon hearing this, both Sasuke and Sakura frowned, but Naruto didn''t feel anything. He had no interest in carrying out such a mission.


    ¡®It''s purely because of work. I don''t want to chase Gaara at all. I really wanted to attend Sandaime¡¯s funeralter, though I¡¯d probably be stuck at the kids'' table.¡¯


    As he thought this, Pakkun suddenly stopped.


    Naruto focused ahead and saw Temari, Kankuro and Gaara at the front staring at the three humans and one dog.


    "Uchiha Sasuke!" Gaara seemed to be in an excited state, his eyes fixed firmly on Sasuke.


    ¡®Ignoring me? That¡¯s perfect.¡¯ Naruto looked like he didn''t want to exert himself in a fight. He put his hands behind his head as he quietly moved aside.


    ording to tradition, evenly matched opponents will engage in verbal banter before a fight.


    Team 7 had just finished a battle and were happy to rest a bit longer. Sasuke didn''t move either, returning Gaara''s gaze with the same intensity. He then took out shuriken from his ninja pouch and said, " Where do you think you''re running off to? Let''s just finish this unfinished match."


    "Do you think you have a chance of winning?" Gaara stood on a high tree trunk, with arms crossed, looking down at Sasuke.


    "Only one way to find out." Sasuke smirked.


    "Sasuke means you''re incapable." Naruto suddenly tranted, "He could beat you with his feet tied."


    Sasuke looked confused and turned to look at Naruto.


    Naruto gave him a knowing look and whispered softly, "I think you''re being too modest. Let me help you trante it properly."


    Clearly, Gaara was doubly provoked, his eyes turning red, looking like he was about to go berserk.


    "You are asking for death, Uchiha Sasuke, I''m going to kill you!"


    "I hope you don''t lose too embarrassingly."


    "He said he didn''t want to lose to an ugly freak."


    Sasuke: "????"


    "Uchiha!! Sasuke!!"


    Temari, quick on the draw, pulled out her fan and shouted at Kankuro, "Quick! Get Gaara out of here. We can''t let him lose control!"


    "I''ll hold them off!"


    Kankuro gritted his teeth, reluctantly grabbed Gaara''s arm, and said, "The nes first. Control yourself."


    Sure enough, when Gaara heard the word ¡®n¡¯, his anger subsided a little, and he allowed Kankuro to lead him away.


    Temari swung her fan, and a fierce wind swept through the forest, kicking up leaves and debris, making it hard to see. Naruto, not wanting to chase after Gaara, eagerly volunteered, "Sasuke, Sakura, you two go ahead. I''ll handle this one!¡±


    Naruto''s n was to fight Temari here, stalling just enough before heading over to join the main battle, hoping to sneak in a surprise attack while Gaara and Sasuke were evenly matched.


    It is a brilliant tactic, killing two birds with one stone, both cking off and working at the same time.


    It was obviously unrealistic to let Sakura stay to deal with Temari. A As a long-range Genjutsu-using Medical-nin, she would stand no chance against Temari, who could fight both at range and up close. And Naruto didn''t want to get entangled with Gaara, so...


    "Alright, be careful."


    With that, Sasuke dashed off in the other direction, with Sakura and Pakkun following closely behind.


    "You think you can just leave? Not happening!"


    Temari growled as she sent another gust of wind toward Sasuke and the others, trying to block their route.


    "Hey, you pervy-looking woman, your opponent is me."


    How could Naruto let Temari interfere with his n to ck off?


    ¡®Sasuke had to be the hero, and only he could take down Gaara! Maybe he could awaken 3-Tomoe Sharingan after being beaten up, wouldn''t that be great? It''s a win-win situation.¡¯


    Wind Release: de of Wind!


    Several des of wind appeared in the air, colliding with the gusts from Temari''s fan, eventually canceling each other out.


    Before leaving, Sasuke nced at Naruto. He was a little dissatisfied with Naruto''s sudden use of Wind Release Ninjutsu he''d never seen before.


    He had just learned Chidori, and now this guy had a new Ninjutsu too. The pressure to keep up was bing overwhelming for Sasuke.


    "What did you call me?" Temari was furious.


    "A pervy woman." Naruto repeated.


    "Go to hell!" Temari was so enraged by Naruto''s words that she no longer cared about stopping Sasuke.


    She fully opened her three-star fan, unleashing a gust of wind several times stronger than before. The huge fan stirred up a massive windstorm.


    "Ninja Art: Wind Sandstorm Technique!"


    Seeing that he had sessfully provoked Temari, Naruto had no intention of facing her head-on. He suddenly retreated and hid behind the trunk of a giant tree.


    "Women are scary when they''re angry," Naruto muttered, taking a deep breath.


    Suddenly, the mechanical voice echoed in his mind again, and the options panel popped up instantly.


    [Option 1: Make Temari beg for mercy. Reward: Sealing Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains.]


    [Option 2: Make Gaara beg for mercy. Reward: The full power of Shukaku.]


    As soon as the options came out, Naruto''s mind started buzzing.


    ¡®Begging for mercy? What kind of nonsense is that¡¯


    ¡®Making Temari beg for mercy is possible by beating her into submission. But, with Gaara''s gloomy personality, how could he beg for mercy? There''s no way he''d beg, not even if he was about to die.¡¯


    ¡®Shukaku''sbat power is probably ranked among the top four of the Biju. It''s a pity to give it up, but it¡¯s also a bit of a gamble.¡¯


    ¡®Choosing option 1 meant I¡¯d have to wrap things up for Sasuketer.¡¯


    ¡®If I could make Temari beg for mercy, then I could use the Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind Shukaku, giving it the same treatment as Kurama. That would be satisfying.¡¯


    ¡®But if Temari refused to beg, I could just head straight for Gaara and use the Four Symbols Seal to pull Shukaku and Gaara into the seal space. At that time, Temari would definitely have to submit for her brother''s sake.¡¯


    ¡®Temari, you wouldn¡¯t want Gaara to die forever, would you?¡¯

 Chapter 66 I’m Coming Out

    Chapter 66 I¡¯m Coming Out


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    Temari grew even angrier when she saw that the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki was hiding and refusing toe out.


    "Is hiding all you''re good at? Come out and fight me properly!"


    Naruto, who was hiding behind a tree, nced at the shattered wood debris flying everywhere and felt a chill in his heart, ¡®Who in their right mind woulde out now? That would be suicide!¡¯


    "Your Ninjutsu is way too OP! Doesn''t it even have a cooldown?"


    Temari ignored Naruto''sints, leaned on her giant fan with a stern look in her eyes, and spoke through gritted teeth, "You''re noting out, huh?"


    "Then I''ll just chop down this whole forest and see how long you can keep hiding!"


    Naruto knew that if he went out at this time, he would die, so he might as well continue hiding and wait for Temari to exhaust her chakra.


    After all, a Shinobi¡¯s Chakra is limited, and Temari doesn''t have the Uzumaki n''s bloodline. For a long-range attacker like her, running out of Chakra would be fatal.


    "Ninja Art: Great Sickle Weasel Technique!"


    "Summoning Technique: Quick Beheading Dance!"


    Naruto couldn''t help but blurt out, ¡®Fuck¡¯ and thought to himself, ¡®This woman is really crazy.¡¯


    Gritting his teeth, Naruto tossed a Flying Thunder God Kunai, and in the next instant, he appeared a hundred meters away, dodging the deadly slicing winds.


    The forest was engulfed by a raging windstorm, and nearly every tree within a hundred-meter radius was cut down, with countless giant trees falling to the ground. The massive dust cloud that rose obscured all vision. Naruto, hiding somewhere and catching his breath, couldn''t help butined in his heart, "No wonder there are no trees in Sunagakure. Geez, their princess sure has a fiery temper!¡¯


    The Quick Beheading Dance is Temari''s trump card. She uses a blood contract to form a contract with the legendary Kamatari. When using it, she needs to summon Kamatari with blood. The destructive power it causes isparable to that of a mini Shukaku.


    "Come out!" Temari gritted her teeth and quickly scanned the forest with her sharp eyes.


    Shinobi like her wasn''t suited for closebat. The reason was simple, it takes time tounch her Ninjutsu, so it is extremely easy to be interrupted. Therefore, although Temari was furious, she hadn''t lost her rationality and didn''t rush forward to search for Naruto.


    "If you don''te out, I''ll do it again. I don''t believe you can hide forever!"


    With a swish, a kunai suddenly flew out from the dust cloud, moving at a rtively slow speed. Temari smirked, then raised her fan to deflect it easily.


    "Alright, alright! Cough cough! I''ming out!"


    Naruto''s voice echoed through the forest, and then he walked out of the smoke while coughing.


    Temari, resting her hand on her person-sized three-star fan, watched the disheveled Naruto with a smug smile.


    "You were pretty good at hiding, weren''t you?"


    How could he keep hiding? Temari hadn''t even participated in the match, so her chakra was still full. If he didn''te out now, he''d just keep getting sliced up by the Kamatari.


    "I think I''m done for the day. Just remembered I''ve got something to do at home, so I''ll be heading back now." Naruto said somewhat awkwardly.


    "Heh, what are you talking about? I don''t understand a word of it." A slightly ferocious smile shed across Temari''s face, "Now, it''s time for you to pay for your words and actions."


    After saying that, she opened her giant three-star fan again.


    "It isn''t even that serious! Are you sure you''re not overreacting?" Naruto looked around. There was no obstruction, but this yed right into his n.


    "Although you are the eldest princess of Sunagakure, but wasn''t it a bit much to bring out the Kamatari? How about being a little more gentle?"


    "Stop saying disgusting things and just die!"


    Temari was solely focused on killing Naruto,pletely ignoring the fact that he somehow knew about her techniques.


    "Wind Release: Hurricane!"


    In the sky above, dark clouds gathered instantly, thunder and lightning crackling. The gentle wind around them sharpened instantly, roaring like waves crashing towards Naruto. The windstorm, descending from above, carried immense momentum.


    The clouds overhead seemed to conceal something terrifying, about to unleash its wrath.


    Naruto stared at Temari not far away, silently waiting as the winds tore through the wilderness and charged towards him.


    Temari also stared at Naruto, thinking to herself, ¡®It was just as Baki-sensei said. Konoha''s Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki was not a Perfect Jinchuriki at all, and his usefulness in battle was extremely limited.¡¯


    Watching the wind des approaching, Naruto opened his mouth slightly, then suddenly vanished the next moment.


    "What?!" Temari''s pupils dted in shock.


    But it was toote. The Flying Thunder God Kunai under her feet became the key for Naruto to get close to her. By continuously feigning weakness to lull his opponent intocency, he seeded in turning the tables in an instant!


    ¡°Flying Thunder God. Second stage.¡±


    Naruto''s palm silently pressed against Temari''s chest, forcefully mming her to the ground, with a hint of triumph flickering in his calm eyes. Almost instantly, Naruto closed the distance with Temari and seized hold of the three-star fan.


    Four Symbols Seal!


    A four-symbol seal was quickly formed on the three-star fan, and then the huge three-star fan immediately disappeared.


    Inside the seal space¡­


    Kyubi was watching a movie with the DVD yer when a huge fan suddenly fell from the sky. With a bang, it crashed outside the fence, startling Kyubi, who instinctively shielded the DVD yer with his ws.


    "What just fell?"


    ¡®Forget it, just ignore it.¡¯


    "Oh, now that your fan is gone, how are you going to fight?" Naruto ced one foot on Temari, looked down at her with a sinister look, with a smug smile appearing on his face.


    "You!"


    "Me what?" Naruto''s face was full of scorn.


    "How did you do that?" Temari asked through gritted teeth.


    "Who would tell you!" Naruto said, lightning flickering in his hand, " Beg for mercy, and I''ll let you go. How about it?"


    "Don''t even think about it!" Temari suddenly broke free and tried to escape.


    However, Naruto directly used his Lightning Release Ninjutsu on her. Because he had just started, the lightning strike on his hand didn''t exert much force, but it was enough to cause pain.


    "Aaahhh!!!"


    A sh of lightning passed, and Temari copsed halfway through her escape.


    "Hah hah!!!"


    Temari fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Under the effect of the Lightning Release Ninjutsu, her entire body waspletely numb. The pain, like needles pricking her, spread across every inch of her skin, almost driving her to the brink of a mental breakdown.


    "Beg for mercy, I''ll let you off." Naruto said, tilting his head.


    He really wanted the Adamantine Sealing Chains and was getting impatient.


    "Don''t even think about it! Dream on!" Temari gritted her teeth and struggled to get up. She red at Naruto and said, "Even if you kill me, I will not beg for mercy from a scum like you!"


    "You''re really troublesome." Naruto picked up the Flying Thunder God Kunai on the ground with his foot and held it in his hand with a snap.


    "Wouldn''t it be better to beg for mercy sooner rather than wasting everyone''s time, Hime-sama?"


    "I''m in a hurry to whip your dearest brother, so I don''t have time to waste time here with you."


    "What are you talking about?!" Temari pulled out a kunai from her ninja pouch.


    She tremblingly gripped it, but now that the three-star fan was gone, she couldn''t use her Ninjutsu anymore.

 Chapter 67 Shukaku: You’re Cheating!

    Chapter 67 Shukaku: You¡¯re Cheating!


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    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">Deadlock.


    Temari was battered and bruised, and her gaze became more and more solemn as she looked at the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki in front of her.


    She bit her finger and drew a line of blood across her left palm.


    Summoning Technique: Kama¡­


    Naruto hesitated for a moment but quickly threw out a Flying Thunder God kunai before Temari couldplete the hand seals.


    Just as the summoning was about to bepleted, Naruto activated Flying Thunder God again, teleported directly and threw a punch that sent Temari crashing to the ground.


    "Using your hand to summon Kamatari?"


    "Are you nning to lose that hand?"


    "What does this have to do with you?!" Temari''s face swelled up, and she red at Naruto fiercely, "Even if I die, I won''t beg for mercy! You just want to satisfy your twisted desires, right? Dream on!"


    "Hey, hey, you can mess around with food, but don''t mess around with words." Naruto said expressionlessly with lightning shing in his hands again.


    "I''m not into overly aggressive women, so don''t tter yourself, Hime-sama."


    "Aaahhh!!!" Temari was electrocuted again and the light in her eyes dimmed instantly.


    In her daze, a warm sensation spread through her body.


    "You¡­! Just kill me already!"


    Temari''s teeth were chattering, and her eyes were filled with hatred as she looked at Naruto.


    Naruto had no intention of doing something so foolish, as he just wanted to achieve his goal and obtain the reward. After all, when the chaos is over, Konoha and Sunagakure will form an alliance.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I''m just a Genin." Naruto said this, but his eyes were full of indifference. Right now, he was running out of patience.


    Lightning Strike!


    Lightning Strike!


    After repeatedly shocking her, Naruto began to admire Temari''s willpower.


    He crouched down, nudged the dazed Temari lying on the ground, and said, "Consider this a request from me, Hime-sama. Please beg for mercy."


    "Never!" Temari, using thest of her strength, forced the words through clenched teeth, "Either kill me, or¡­"


    Hearing this, Naruto sighed softly, then stood up and said, "In that case, there''s nothing I can do. You win."


    "I guess I''ll have to go kill Gaara then. Even the viges can''t interfere in a fight between Jinchuriki."


    "What did you say?" Temari tried to get up with sheer willpower, but couldn''t. She red at Naruto, "Don¡¯t."


    "What did you say?"


    "Don''t."


    "Beg me." Naruto said with indifferent expression.


    Temari waspletely panicked now. She finally realized how terrifying a Jinchuriki could be. What did they say about not being a Perfect Jinch¨±riki? The boy in front of her had not even used the power of the Biju yet.


    "I beg you, don''t kill my brother. I''ll do whatever you want."


    [Sealing Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains sessfully granted.]


    ¡°See, if you had done this earlier, wouldn''t it be much easier?" Naruto said, giving her a brief, scrutinizing nce before uttering two words,


    "So troublesome."


    After saying that, Naruto''s figure vanished from where he stood in an instant.


    Temari struggled to sit up. The injuries on her body were not serious, and a trace of resentment shed in her eyes. However, it was quickly reced by worry. She couldn''t just stop here. Even without her fan, she needed to find Gaara and Kankuro immediately.


    ¡®That guy is simply¡­ a psychopath.¡¯


    After struggling for a moment, Temari staggered to her feet.


    The towering trees within a hundred meters had been felled by her, allowing sunlight to pour down inrge swathes, casting light over her. Her pale legs trembled slightly, but then steadied.


    Without taking the time to fix her tattered clothing, Temari nced around with a determined gaze, then chose a direction, and limped away into the forest.


    Naruto was moving quickly through the trees,nding on a thick branch and ncing into the distance.


    The forest was eerily silent, but faintly, he could hear distant roaring sounds, an indication that the battle had already begun. He had wasted too much time on Temari, and he didn''t know if Sasuke could withstand Gaara and Shukaku.


    Frowning, Naruto lowered his head and resumed his swift pace.


    The giant trees on both sides blurred as he sped past, and the light ahead grew increasingly bright. Naruto knew he was approaching the small in near the edge of the Konoha Forest.


    The path was initially narrow, barely wide enough for one person, but after a few more steps, it opened up.


    The previously muffled sounds became clear, and Shukaku¡¯s immature yet arrogant voice echoed across the small in.


    "Yoo-hoo! I¡¯m finally out!"


    A gigantic, fat tanuki stood tall, roaring like a madman. Naruto was dumbfounded when he saw Shukaku, thinking to himself, ¡®What the heck is that? He¡¯s a hundred times uglier than in the manga!¡¯


    The entire body of Shukaku was made of sand, with arge, pudgy frame marked by strange blue patterns on his belly. His golden eyes radiated a menacing gaze as he carelessly searched for anything living.


    ¡®Forget it.¡¯


    ¡®I should go find Sakura and the others first.¡¯


    Naruto''s figure vanished, and he quickly located the injured Sakura behind a massive tree. Naruto checked her condition and found that she had only passed out, so he took out a Military Food Pill from his ninja pouch and fed it to her.


    There was no water, so he could only force her to swallow it by lifting his neck.


    "Sakura, wake up."


    After some shaking, Sakura weakly opened her eyes.


    "Naruto? You¡­"


    "Where''s Sasuke?"


    "Sasuke, he..." Sakura suddenly coughed violently and coughed out half of the wet pill.


    Naruto didn¡¯t need her to point the way, as a sharp, crackling sound of lightning rang out from the distance. Sasuke¡¯s shout followed as he, now fully covered in the Cursed Seal, charged at Shukaku with a Chidori.


    "Where did this brate from?"


    Shukaku didn''t take Sasuke seriously, swiping at him with one of his massive hands.


    ¡®So he¡¯s activated the Cursed Seal? No wonder he is able to hold on until now.¡¯


    "Naruto, don''t worry about me, go help Sasuke!" Sakura struggled to get up, but then fell to the ground powerlessly, "Sasuke has already activated the Cursed Seal twice. If he continues like this, he will die!"


    Hearing this, Naruto didn''t hesitate at all. He left Sakura behind and sprinted toward Sasuke.


    He thought to himself, ¡®That stubborn idiot¡­ He actually opened activated the Cursed Seal twice. He is really not afraid of death. That thing was almost like opening the Eight Gates. It over-extracts the body¡¯s energy and can cause heart failure if misused.¡¯


    Though Sasuke usually wore a cold expression, Naruto couldn¡¯t just ignore him.


    Without forming any hand seals, Naruto directly activated the Adamantine Sealing Chains.


    With a loud boom, Shukaku¡¯s paw sent Sasuke flying.


    "Yoo-hoo!"


    ¡°It¡¯s a hit!¡±


    "Huh? What''s that?"


    Thick golden chains suddenly erupted from the ground, like sentient vines, surging toward Shukaku in droves.


    Shukaku was stunned, suddenly realizing that something was terribly wrong.


    He seemed to have seen this chain before, then remembered that he had seen it on Kyubi before.


    "Why! How! Impossible!"


    Shukaku turned around and tried to flee, but it was toote. The chains wrapped around it, pinning him to the ground.


    Shukaku roared, thinking to himself, ¡®Damn it! It¡¯s Adamantine Sealing Chains! You¡¯re cheating!¡¯

 Chapter 68 Do You Think You’re Tough?

    Chapter 68 Do You Think You¡¯re Tough?


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    Gaara, who has fallen into a deep sleep, is on Shukaku''s head, and the Adamantine Sealing Chains had securely locked both Shukaku and Gaara together.


    Almost instantly, Shukaku found himselfpletely immobilized.


    This is the dominating power of the Uzumaki n''s Sealing Techniques. No need for anyplex considerations, just seal it and be done!


    "Smelly Fox!"


    Shukaku howled meaningless words and struggled frantically, but it was all in vain.


    Naruto ignored the giant Shukaku for the time being, and after running through the forest for a few minutes, he found Sasuke, who was nearly unconscious, in a patch of crushed shrubs.


    Sasuke''s face was deathly pale, and the ck marks of the Cursed Seal of Heaven had spread across his neck, glowing with a fiery red that resembled moltenva.


    "How are you?" Naruto pped Sasuke''s cheek with his palm, which was another little trick on the battlefield.


    When arade copses beside you, and you¡¯re unsure if they¡¯re still alive, the first thing you should do is wake them up and then ask about their condition. If they can still respond, it means that their airway isn¡¯t blocked.


    If they respond with nonsensical answers, it usually means one of two things: either their brain is damaged, or they¡¯re about to die and are already talking gibberish.


    In that case, it¡¯s best to start looting their belongings.


    "Cough cough!" Sasuke coughed up a mouthful of blood. When he opened his eyes and saw it was Naruto, his brows furrowed instinctively.


    "Hey, that¡¯s just rude." Naruto was speechless.


    "I¡¯m not dying." Sasuke said calmly.


    Naruto stood up, silently gave a thumbs-up, and then decisively called Sakura over, ¡®As expected of Sasuke, his sharp tongue could probably produce a few relics even if he were cremated.¡¯


    "Kankuro." Temari woke up the unconscious Kankuro. She looked around withplicated gaze and saw Kankuro¡¯s battered puppet.


    "Temari?"


    Kankuro woke up slowly and was stunned for a moment, then suddenly grabbed his head and began to cry in pain.


    "My puppet! Damn you, Uchiha Sasuke!"


    Seeing her younger brother cry so sorrowfully, Temari couldn''t help but feel a pang of sympathy. However, when she thought of her own situation, she didn¡¯t know what to say and could only sigh helplessly.


    After Kankuro cried for a while, Temari asked, "Where''s Gaara?"


    "That guy went berserk and chased after those two from Konoha."


    "Which direction he went to? I have to find him!" Temari gritted her teeth, forcing herself to speak despite her injuries, "Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki is on his way here. I''m worried something might happen to Gaara."


    "What could possibly happen to him?" Kankuro was still mired in the sorrow of his shattered puppet, as if he had lost his wife.


    He turned his head to look at Temari and was stunned.


    "Temari, where''s your fan?"


    At these words, Temari bit her lower lip and replied, "It was taken away by the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki. I don''t know what tricks he used!"


    "What use does he have for that thing?" Kankuro said, "Isn''t the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki supposed to be weak?"


    Temari didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. She simply said that their intelligence was inurate and brushed off the topic.


    With Kankuro, who had lost both his puppet and his energy, leaning on her, they set off in the direction where Gaara was.


    "What''s that smell?"


    "Shut up!"


    Both of them were injured, and Temari had suffered a physical and mental blow, so she was not moving very fast.


    "Do you really want to find that lunatic? He''s still in a frenzy. He''ll kill us both."


    Temari ignored him and focused entirely on moving forward.


    "Stop saying these useless things, Kankuro."


    ¡­


    At this time, Naruto stood in front of Shukaku and released his Lava Release.


    "Damn it! You brat, what are you doing?!"


    "I¡¯m curious to see how long you¡¯llst." Naruto muttered. Then, with a single thought, more golden chains wrapped around Shukaku, "Shukaku, I hope the next time we meet, you¡¯ll show me some respect."


    "I''m going to kill you!"


    "Lava Release!"


    Chakra surged endlessly from Naruto¡¯s body, enhancing the power of the Lava Release, which then engulfed half of Shukaku¡¯s massive form.


    "Bind him."


    The Adamantine Sealing Chains tightened further, ignoring Shukaku''s agonized screams, as they burrowed deep into the sand monster¡¯s mountainous body.


    Seeing this, Naruto immediately felt a sense of satisfaction.


    With the Adamantine Sealing Chains on the outside and the Four Symbols Seal on the inside, he knew he could handle any Biju he encountered from now on.


    The intense pain jolted Gaara awake, and Shukaku''s consciousness was immediately pulled back into the seal. Gaara''s Biju Transformation also ended, and he was knocked down by Naruto with a single punch.


    By the time Temari and Kankuro, who were supporting each other, arrived, they witnessed Naruto beating Gaara. Since Gaara was nearly out of chakra, Naruto resorted to simple, brute-force punches.


    Gaara, having lost too much energy and suffering severe injuries from Shukaku¡¯s rampage, was no match for Naruto. What began as a fight quickly turned into a one-sided beating.


    "Do you think you¡¯re tough?" Naruto sneered, punching through Gaara¡¯s sand defense andnding a solid hit on Gaara¡¯s face.


    Gaara was sent flying, his face deformed, and he crashed heavily to the ground. Hey motionless on the ground, in a daze.


    "What''s the use of having a Biju anyway?"


    Naruto muttered as he approached Gaara, grabbed him by the cor, and delivered another hard punch. For a Jinchuriki, this level of damage was nothing, as they would heal soon enough.


    " If you want to make it in this world, you need power and background!"


    Naruto continued, punching Gaara hard enough to make his eyes roll back. Despite Gaara¡¯s fading consciousness, Naruto kept hitting him.


    "You¡¯re lucky you were born well, or you¡¯d already be dead by now."


    Gaara was barely conscious and unable to speak. He could only watch as Naruto¡¯s fists pounded into his face again and again.


    "You little punk!"


    Naruto growled as moltenva gathered in his hands, ready to deliver a final blow at Gaara.


    Seeing this, Temari, who was not far away,pletely panicked. She scrambled toward them, ignoring her injuries, and threw herself over Gaara, crying out desperately, "You promised me you wouldn¡¯t kill him!"


    Temari was genuinely frightened to tears. This time, all three of them had been defeated, and she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of Gaara dying like this, even with his unpredictable and bloodthirsty nature.


    Naruto didn¡¯t strike, and retracted his Lava Release. He stared at Temari, who was shielding Gaara behind her, for a few seconds with an emotionless face, then said, "You¡¯re lucky to have been born into the right family."


    After saying that, Naruto turned and walked away.


    It won''t be long before news of the reconciliation between Konoha and Sunagakure spread.


    As Temari watched Naruto¡¯s retreating figure with fear in her eyes, tears fell onto Gaara¡¯s face, warm and wet.


    Gaara, whose eyes were swollen from the beating, stared at Temari¡¯s panicked face and the tears on his sister''s face as hey there in a daze. It is unknown what he was thinking.


    In the end, Kankuro walked over with difficulty and pulled up Temari, who was so scared that her whole body was limp. For the first time, he saw Gaara in such a pitiful state.


    After hesitating for a moment, Kankuro pulled Gaara up too.


    Temari, having recovered somewhat, came over and, together with Kankuro, put Gaara¡¯s arms over their shoulders.


    "Temari."


    "Kankuro."


    When the two heard Gaara''s voice, their bodies suddenly froze with fear. After a brief pause, Gaara spoke again, "I¡¯m sorry."

 Chapter 69 Sandaime’s Funeral

    Chapter 69 Sandaime¡¯s Funeral


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    By the time Naruto¡¯s group returned to the vige, everything had already settled.


    Sunagakure¡¯s n to destroy Konoha had failed, Orochimaru¡¯s plot had been exposed, and Sandaime dead, having taken Orochimaru¡¯s arms with him using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.


    As the party at fault, Sunagakure reached a peace agreement with Konoha, promising topensate for the war in the form of gold sand, and Konoha would form a friendly alliance with Sunagakure based on the principle of mutual benefit.


    Orochimaru, at the cost of losing his arms, managed to kill the Kage of two viges, making him the MVP of this tragic event.


    As soon as Naruto and Sakura, carrying the severely injured Sasuke, returned, they learned the news that Sandaime had died in battle.


    Sakura froze for a moment, while Naruto showed little reaction and quickly urged, "Sakura, Sasuke is barely breathing."


    "Ah!" Sakura immediately snapped out of her daze and hurriedly took Sasuke to the Konoha Hospital.


    Two dayster.


    As dawn broke, the sky over Konoha was shrouded in dark clouds.


    Naruto sat up in bed, staring at the bundle of white chrysanthemums on the table for a long time before remembering that today was Sandaime¡¯s funeral.


    He averted his gaze, stared at the ceiling for a while, and found himself not as happy as he had expected.


    ¡®The only good Hokage is a dead Hokage.¡¯


    After a while, Naruto put on his slippers and went to the bathroom to wash up. He then changed into ck mourning clothes, grabbed arge ck umbre and the white chrysanthemums, put on tactical boots, and headed out the door.


    He didn¡¯t wear his forehead protector or leggings.


    He strolled leisurely out the door and met up with Sakura after wandering through the streets of Konoha.


    The sky was gloomy, with massive clouds swirling visibly overhead.


    Until a hint of pink appeared at the alley entrance, Sakura, with a worried expression and dressed in a ck dress, waved at Naruto as soon as she saw him.


    "Naruto."


    "Yeah." Naruto walked up to her and started walking alongside her, "How¡¯s Sasuke?"


    Sakura said with low emotion as she shook her head, "His body is seriously damaged and he is still unconscious. I don''t know when he will wake up."


    ¡®He''s lucky to be alive after using Cursed Seal twice.¡¯ Naruto thought so, then said, "He¡¯ll be out of the hospital soon enough, so there¡¯s no need to worry too much."


    "Thank you, Naruto."


    Sakura, walking beside him, lowered her face and bit her lip, "If it weren¡¯t for you arriving in time¡­"


    The two walked slowly, and the rustling sound of footsteps echoed on the street. Naruto nced at Sakura out of the corner of his eye.


    "There¡¯s no need to thank me for this. That¡¯s whatpanions are supposed to do."


    "I know, it¡¯s just that..." Sakura seemed to be unable to control her emotions and said in a trembling voice, "Every time, I can¡¯t do anything to help. I can only watch you and Sasuke fight for your lives."


    "Every time¡­I feel so useless. Maybe I am not suitable to be a Shinobi at all."


    At this moment, Naruto suddenly stopped.


    "No one is better suited to be a Shinobi than you, Sakura."


    "What?" Tears stained Sakura¡¯s face.


    "Everyone has different talents. Some find their path early, otherster. You just haven¡¯t found your own ninja way yet, so there¡¯s no need to give up."


    "But¡­"


    "No buts. Let¡¯s go, Sandaime¡¯s funeral is about to start." Naruto nced in one direction, where more and more people dressed in ck were gathering on the streets of Konoha.


    "And don¡¯t say such foolish things again."


    After saying that, Naruto started walking toward the crowd.


    Sakura stood there in a daze for a moment before wiping away her tears and followed him. Her slender, pale legs moved quickly under her ck dress, and after a few quick steps, she joined the crowd.


    The funeral was held at an open-air viewing tform, and the expressions on everyone''s faces were heavy and sad.


    Under the oppressive, rainy sky, the people began to offer their flowers.


    Naruto held the slightly wilted white chrysanthemums he had bought a few days earlier, standing in the long line in the rain. When it was his turn, he ced the prepared white chrysanthemum in front of Sandaime¡¯s flower stand and silently left.


    The funeral wasn¡¯t long, and after it ended, sunlight pierced through the rain clouds, illuminating the entire vige.


    The crowd that attended the funeral began to disperse in groups. Sakura had already told Naruto she had something to take care of at home, so he had nothing else to do.


    His clothes were soaked from the rain, clinging ufortably to his skin, so he decided to head home for a shower.


    "Naruto." Ino ced a hand on his shoulder and leaned in, asking directly, "I heard that Sasuke was injured?"


    "Yeah, he¡¯s still unconscious in the hospital." Naruto replied as they walked, "Why, you want to go see Sleeping Beauty?"


    "Why not?" Ino nudged Naruto¡¯s shoulder and walked alongside him, then said, "Opportunities like this don¡¯te often. After all, it¡¯s Sasuke!"


    "You think you can just waltz in to see Young Master Sasuke?" Naruto rolled his eyes at Ino, " Kakashi-sensei said the higher-ups have issued a protection order, and the entire floor where Sasuke¡¯s room is has been secured by the Anbu."


    "Even Sakura, who¡¯s in the medical department, can¡¯t visit him, so you¡¯d better give up on this idea."


    "What a cruel order." Ino said wistfully, "When I think of Sasuke lying quietly on the hospital bed, the snow-white walls, and the white roses with dew in front of the window..."


    "Damn it, your saliva is almost flowing onto my face! You pervert, stop drooling!"


    "Who are you calling a pervert? You¡¯re asking for it!"


    "I¡¯m talking about you, you damn pervert! Don¡¯t go exposing your weird fetishes in public, geez!"


    Naruto pushed Ino away with a look of disgust, and Ino angrily grabbed Naruto''s cor in retaliation.


    Hinata, who was standing behind, watched as Naruto and Ino bickered, then felt a pang of loneliness as she pouted slightly.


    "Hinata!"


    "Kiba, Shino." Hinata quickly turned around, a little flustered, "What''s wrong?"


    "Kurenai-sensei is calling us. It seems there is a new mission." Kiba said with a grin, raising his fist. "I hope it''s an A-Rank mission. Anything less would be boring!"


    "A-A-rank." Hinata stammered, clearly taken aback.


    "Don''t listen to his nonsense." Shino, who was wearing his ck round sunsses, interjected calmly, " Kurenai-sensei knows our limits. She wouldn¡¯t take on anything too dangerous. After all, we are all sensor-type Shinobi, not monsters like Team 7."


    "What happened to Team 7?" Hinata asked hesitantly.


    "Their Jonin Instructor had them chase after the Ichibi¡¯s Jinchuriki¡¯s team from Sunagakure." Shino said, "That was practically a suicide mission."


    "It''s Kakashi," Kiba interrupted, "I heard from my sister that he was the vige¡¯s strongest rookie in his generation. And when he was our age, he was already doing dangerous, ssified missions."


    "It must be nice!" Kiba sighed in admiration.


    Hinata, hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but nce worriedly at the crowd. But at this time, Naruto and Ino had already disappeared.


    "I heard that Sasuke-kun was injured." Hinata said in a low voice.


    "Yeah, he¡¯s in critical condition. He must have used some Forbidden Technique." Shino said, "To face off against a Biju under those circumstances, he must¡¯ve put his life on the line."


    "I heard Sunagakure¡¯s Biju team fared even worse, which is why Sunagakure ended uppensating Konoha."

 Chapter 70 Can You Stop Staring Now?

    Chapter 70 Can You Stop Staring Now?


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    Blood Moon.


    The long de pierced the chest, blood sttering the walls. On the long Uchiha street at night, the familiar path home seemed endless, disappearing into the darkness.


    "The Uchiha n has been attacked, and the Anbu have arrived at the scene."


    "Quick, search for survivors!"


    "They are all dead! Hokage-sama."


    "Here, there''s a kid here!"


    In the hospital room, Sasuke opened his eyes.


    Bright sunlight filtered through the thin white curtains, casting a distant light at the head of the bed. The snow-white walls reflected a halo, and arge bouquet of flowers sat on the bedside table, with several apples neatly arranged in a fruit basket.


    The moment the door was opened, the smell of disinfectant instantly filled the air, and Kakashi walked in. One of his eyes was covered, while the other, with its dead-fish stare, nced at Sasuke.


    ¡°Yo, Sasuke, you seem to be recovering well."


    Sasuke leaned against the bedhead, dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown that made him look thin. His pupils held a familiar indifference, reflecting the shade of the green tree outside the window.


    "Kakashi, how long have I been unconscious?"


    "Well, that''s really rude." Kakashimented, but not particrly bothered, "About two days. Sandaime¡¯s funeral has already been held."


    "You didn''t go?" Sasuke looked at Kakashi.


    "I had a mission." Kakashi said nonchntly, "Everyone I cared about was gone. I''ve grown tired of funerals."


    Sasuke''s gaze paused abruptly, before he finally spoke up after a long moment, "How are they?"


    "Sakura-chan was slightly injured, and Naruto, well, that guy came out of it without a scratch." Kakashi narrowed his eye and smiled, "Congrattions, you guys survived."


    "The vige''s higher-ups value you highly. It''s thanks to you this time that Sunagakure¡¯s higher-ups were able to reach such a quickpromise."


    "Why?"


    "Probably because they saw the gap between the new generation of Shinobi." Kakashi''s eye swept across Sasuke''s face, "In the fight between the new generation of Shinobi, in order to avoid greater losses in the future, the losing party tacitlypromised."


    "But next time, don''t use the power of the Cursed Seal again. Activating the Cursed Seal for a second time is no different from courting death."


    "Um."


    ¡­


    "I say, going to someone else''s house without their consent is not something ady would do." Naruto said as he looked at Ino, who was crossing her legs and taking off her shoes in the entrance.


    With her thick golden hair scattered, Ino leaned against a nearby cab and stood on one leg to take off her shoes.


    Her calves, like white jade, were naturally wless and white, captivating to the eye. Her ck dress was soaked by the rain, clinging wetly to the girl''s body.


    "Are you stupid?" Ino blushed and said angrily, "You''re the kind of person who peeks at girls changing shoes. You have no right to say that!"


    "You''re just standing there. It''s hard for me not to look."


    "Also, please don''t nder me. I didn''t peek. I was clearly watching openly."


    "Disgusting."


    "Thank you for thepliment."


    "That¡¯s not apliment, you pervert. You''re not a foot fetishist, are you?" Ino looked down at him with contempt.


    "At least I''m better than some hospital ward fetishist." Naruto retorted mercilessly, "In fact, you are wrong. I am not a foot fetishist."


    "Tsk." Ino took off her shoes, stepped on thepletely renovated floor with her white and tender feet, then looked around and said, "I didn''t expect your house to be so clean."


    ¡®Of course it''s clean, I¡¯m using the power of money.¡¯


    After he became rich, Naruto practically renovated everything in his apartment that could be upgraded. All the furniture and fixtures were now top-of-the-line in Konoha. As for the source of his funds, no one questioned it, especially not the Anbu.


    The incident involving the Root Shinobi being swallowed by Kyubi was left unresolved, and the Root wouldn''t dare provoke Naruto without a reason.


    "The bathroom is over there, and there''s a dryer inside." Naruto said with a yawn, then prepared to go to the balcony to change clothes, "If you want water, get it yourself. Call me if you need anything."


    "Is this how you treat your guests? That''s too much."


    "Yeah? What are you going to do about it?" Naruto replied, sluggishly walking toward the balcony in his slippers, "Hurry up and take a shower. I let you use the bathroom because you said you were going to the hospitalter."


    "Don''t do anything weird in there, you perv."


    "Go to hell!" Ino, who was humiliated and furious, threw a cushion at him.


    "Ouch! What was that for?"


    "You are the one doing weird things in the bathroom!" Ino''s face flushed as she silently mouthed something at Naruto.


    "Like?" Naruto tilted his head.


    "Disgusting, you jerk!"


    With a bang, Ino mmed the bathroom door shut.


    Naruto, feeling a bit defeated, noticed that the living room was empty and decided to change out of his wet clothes right there. He tossed the wet clothes into a basin on the balcony and pulled open the curtains to let the sunlight in.


    The greenery on the windowsill looked lush and vibrant, a refreshing sight. The living room carried a faint floral scent from an air freshener.


    Outside, it had started to drizzle again. Naruto nced at the balcony, then in the direction of the bathroom, and shouted, "Ino, have you had breakfast?"


    "No." Ino''s voice came from the bathroom, and the sound of water sshing could be heard through the door.


    "Then I¡¯ll make you something."


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, Naruto went to the fridge, took out two eggs, beat them in a measuring cup, and chopped some onions. As the rain drizzled outside, he boiled water and waited for the steam to rise from the pot.


    Rainwater trickled down the windowsill. Naruto stared idly at it, watching the water slowly flow down and eventually disappear from sight.


    The hot soup and two tes of omurice were ready, along with freshly brewed hot tea.


    He is more ustomed to drinking tea, because tea is more expensive.


    When he finished ting the food, Ino came out of the bathroom, drying her hair. She was wearing one of Naruto''s oversized T-shirts, and her face clearly showed reluctance.


    "Hey, don''t just go around wearing other people''s clothes. Aren''t there bathrobes in there?"


    Hearing this, Ino put her hands on her hips, "A bathrobe is more of a personal item. No way am I wearing that. Who knows what''s on it?"


    "That was new, you jerk." Naruto said angrily, "And what''s with that look you''re giving me?"


    "I don''t believe you."


    "Damn it!"


    A soft click sounded in the kitchen as the water finished boiling.


    Naruto turned his head, paused for a moment, then decided not to argue with Ino anymore. He walked into the kitchen to make tea. He didn''t make tea for Ino, but made coffee directly.


    After all, young girls tended to like things that were bitter with a hint of sweetness. Adding a few spoons of milk from the fridge would make it smell rich. It seemed delicate, butpared to the lingering taste of tea, it was nothing special.


    "Please eat quickly and leave." Naruto said, cing the coffee on the dining table.


    "Then could you stop staring at my chest?"


    "Sure."


    "Thank you." Ino, looking like she was trying her best to be patient, took a small bite of the omurice and then a sip of coffee.

 Chapter 71 If It Was a Hand…

    Chapter 71 If It Was a Hand¡­


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    Naruto pulled out a chair and thanks to the carpet, it didn¡¯t make any noise.


    Ino was used to this, after all, she was the eldest daughter of the Yamanaka n¡¯s n Head. Though she wasn''t exactly pampered, her actions during meals still exuded a certain elegance.


    "I didn''t expect you to be good at cooking."


    "Huh?"


    "That''s apliment, idiot."


    "It¡¯s no big deal. Cooking is just a basic survival skill for a Shinobi." Naruto sipped his tea, "So you used my bathroom just to get to the hospital faster?"


    "Of course, my mother has gone to apply for the procedures to visit Sasuke." Ino smiled.


    "Does the Yamanaka n still have connections with the Uchiha?"


    "Of course." Ino took a bite of her omurice, her eyes narrowing into a very beautiful arc. "The Uchiha n was one of the most powerful ns in Konoha."


    "Even though Sasuke''s the only one left now, who knows what the future holds?"


    Naruto nodded with an ¡®oh¡¯, understanding Ino¡¯s point.


    Although the Uchiha n is almost extinct now, Sasuke is still here, so the Uchiha n¡¯s Kekkei Genkai would continue to be passed down. Maybe, a few generations down the line, the n could flourish again.


    "So Sasuke is going to have multiple wives?"


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    "Isn''t it?"


    "Don''t ask me about stuff like that! How am I supposed to answer?" Ino red at Naruto, then lowered her head and continued eating.


    After they finished their meal, Inoy on the couch while Naruto went to wash the dishes in the kitchen.


    In a little while, Ino¡¯s mother woulde by and bring her a custom-made formal dress, so they could go to visit Sasuke together on behalf of the Yamanaka n.


    Since Konoha Hospital wasn¡¯t far from Naruto¡¯s ce, and she had to go home to change her clothes or wait for the formal clothes that her mother would bring anyway, Ino decided to just stay at Naruto¡¯s ce.


    "Ino." Naruto said, leaning against the kitchen doorway, "It''s like we''re living together like this."


    "Who wants to live with you?" Ino''s unceremonious voice came from the sofa, "But this couch of yours is pretty nice. Where¡¯d you get it?"


    "404 Konoha Street."


    The dryer in the bathroom was still humming, and during this time, Naruto poured himself a cup of hot tea and stood at the other end of the couch, observing Ino who was curled up on the couchlike a cat.


    The oversized T-shirt she wore looked like a mini-dress on her, and her sleeping posture was so proper that her white legs were neatly folded, concealing anything too revealing.


    Naruto just took a nce and then quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to look at anything inappropriate.


    "What book is that?"


    Bored, Ino sat up, half-knelt and reached out to grab a book ced in the corner of the couch.


    Naruto seemed to remember something, his pupils dted slightly. That book was Jiraiya¡¯s Icha Icha Paradise, thetest sequel collector''s edition that Naruto bought at fifteen times the original price some time ago.


    It was a rare collectible, something even Kakashi wanted, a limited edition masterpiece.


    In short, if he didn¡¯t act fast, he¡¯d be socially doomed.


    "Ino!" Naruto suddenly shouted loudly.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Ino turned her head, looking startled by Naruto¡¯s sudden shout.


    ¡°I saw it.¡±


    "Huh? What did you see?" Ino blinked, and after a few seconds, she realized what he meant.


    "Ah! You!!!" Ino immediately curled up defensively.


    While pressing down her body tightly, she red at Naruto with murderous gaze and asked angrily, "What do you see?"


    "I didn''t see anything."


    "You just said you saw it!" Ino gritted her teeth.


    "Uh... I need to use the bathroom." Naruto pretended to head towards the bathroom.


    "Don''t go!" Ino hurriedly ran to the bathroom door to block it, "You''re definitely up to something weird!"


    "No way!"


    As he spoke, Naruto stealthily moved to the corner of the couch. With his back turned, he reached out behind him and deftly grabbed the Icha Icha Paradise from the couch, then quickly hide it behind his back.


    "Okay, I won¡¯t go then."


    Downstairs at the street corner, Ino, dressed in a ck skirt, stood upright, while Naruto was squatting beside her, looking bored.


    "Is Mrs. Yamanakaing soon?"


    "She should be. My mom is very punctual." Ino said.


    Hearing this, Naruto stood up and handed Ino a pack of tissues, then said, "Then I''ll go first."


    "Why?" Ino looked at Naruto''s outstretched hand, hesitated for a moment, and grabbed the pack of tissues.


    "Well, it¡¯s not nice if someone sees us alone together. Even though I don¡¯t really want to admit it, I really..." Naruto stopped talking halfway and spread his hands.


    "Anyway, see you next time, Ino."


    "Hey! Don¡¯t go, it¡¯s fine."


    Ino reached out, but Naruto had already walked far away. He waved with his back to her and before long, he disappeared from sight.


    She stood there in a daze for a while, then turned her head to look elsewhere, her eyes dimming. Even though she said it was fine, she herself was unsure how her mother would react.


    ¡®Is it really not allowed for us to stand together, even as friends?¡¯


    She stared at the pack of tissues in a daze, wondering what if she had grabbed something other than tissues.


    "Ino."


    "Ah!" Ino jolted her head up and saw her mother, Yamanaka Rino.


    "What¡¯s wrong with you?"


    Rino, dressed elegantly in an emerald green gown and carrying a delicate ck purse, reached out and touched her daughter''s cold forehead.


    "When I was walking over just now, I saw you standing here in a daze."


    "I''m fine." Ino forced a smile, "It''s just that you were a little slow, Mom. I got bored waiting."


    "Sorry about that."


    "How about you buy me a dress, Mom?" Ino took Rino''s hand and said affectionately.


    "You¡¯re such a big girl now, yet you¡¯re still acting like a child." Rino affectionately patted Ino¡¯s head, smiling as she spoke.


    "Earlier, I thought I saw you with someone. Was it a friend?"


    "Sort of." Ino felt a little guilty, "Or maybe not really, just someone I know well."


    "Our little Ino has grown up." Rino said with a knowing smile, then took Ino''s arm and walked towards the Konoha Hospital.


    "Mom, don''t talk nonsense." Ino said coquettishly.


    "Is that Naruto?"


    Rino''s words made Ino freeze for a moment. She then turned her head slightly, seeing the knowing smile on her mother¡¯s face as she observed her daughter''s not-so-natural expression.


    "Naruto and I, we¡­"


    "Ino, your father and I are both very open-minded people." Rino''s voice was still gentle, "But when ites to Naruto, as a mother, I hope you¡¯ll think it over carefully."


    Ino pursed her lips and said nothing.


    "It''s not that I don''t like Naruto. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s very important to the vige." Rino said, "The vige imposes too many restrictions on Naruto, I just don''t want to see you get hurt."


    "Um."


    Naruto stood atop a tall utility pole, overlooking the entire Konoha with an expressionless face. His gaze pierced through theyers of rooftops, locking onto a distant cliff.


    His pupils were an eerie blood-red, identical to Kyubi¡¯s eyes.


    On top of the Hokage Rock, two small ck dots stood out. Zooming in, they were two mysterious figures wearing ck cloaks with red clouds pattern and straw hats.

 Chapter 72 If You Refuse, I Will Kill You Immediately

    Chapter 72 If You Refuse, I Will Kill You Immediately


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    "Itachi-san, this vige is your hometown, right? Do you miss it?"


    Under his straw hat, Hoshigaki Kisame revealed a mouthful of sharp teeth as he stood at the outer railing of Hokage Rock, ncing sideways at Uchiha Itachi, who was dressed simrly.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Itachi''s gaze swept over the devastated vige of Konoha, passing over the damaged walls, copsed houses, and treetops.


    Even though the entire Konoha Vige was badly damaged, the dense round-roofed houses still looked almost bursting. With their red tiles and yellow walls, surrounded by dense forests, the scenery remained lush.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ugly ce.¡±


    Having said that, Itachi slowly turned around and left, stopping for a moment beside Kisame.


    "Let''s go."


    ¡­


    Konoha Hospital.


    "Please wait a moment." The Chunin in charge of guarding the entrance to the floor checked the procedures and immediately smiled, "Please follow me."


    "Mom, are there many people visiting Sasuke?" Ino walked alongside her mother, Rino, down the hospital corridor, and asked casually.


    "Not many," Rino replied, "Some ns are in a wait-and-see state. Most ns have no reason to approach the Uchiha n¡¯s survivor and risk suspicion from the vige''s higher-ups."


    "The Advisors granted us special permission to visit the child."


    "Hey, Ino, you like Sasuke, right?" Rino turned around and asked with a chuckle.


    "Of course, who doesn''t like Sasuke?" Ino said openly while holding her mother''s hand, "Sasuke has always been very handsome."


    "Indeed, the men of the Uchiha n are very charming." Rino said with a chuckle.


    On the rooftop of a tall building outside Konoha Hospital.


    Itachi stared at Naruto not far away, making hand seals in preparation from a distance. The distance would affect the effect of the Ninjutsu, and the hand seals are needed to concentrate his Chakra.


    "The n to capture the Kyubi unexpectedly went smoothly." Kisame said with a rxed look, "He''s just a little kid, there''s no need to be nervous."


    "Kisame, the Jinchuriki is waiting for us."


    "What?" Kisame''s expression changed slightly, ¡°Itachi-san, we entered Konoha without anyone noticing us, right?"


    "Yes, that''s why it''s weird."


    "Should we abandon the mission?" Kisame asked, "If we get entangled by the Konoha¡¯s Shinobi, things will be troublesome."


    "No, now is the best opportunity." Itachi raised his head, and the Sharingan in his pupils started spinning, "It seems that no one except the Jinchuriki has noticed our existence for the time being."


    Naruto looked at Itachi and Kisame in the distance. His face is still expressionless, but there¡¯s a hint of nervousness.


    This might be the first major crisis he had encountered since crossing over. Standing opposite him is Uchiha Itachi. He knew that Itachi would probablye, but he didn''t expect him toe so soon.


    ¡®It seemed that besides me, no one else had noticed them.¡¯


    ¡®Should I shout for help?¡¯


    ¡®Or not¡­ It''s better to shout for Sasuke to be effective.¡¯


    ¡®I was just casually strolling around, how did ite to this? Should I run? It''s better to run first. Itachi will not let anyone other than Sasuke go, he¡¯s too dangerous.¡¯


    The summer breeze blew by, and Naruto decisively turned around and ran.


    Itachi¡¯s figure also disappeared, almost instantly blocking Naruto''s way, as if he is teleporting. He stretched out his hand wrapped in a fishingbat uniform from hisrge ck cloak with red clouds pattern and grabbed towards Naruto.


    Meanwhile, Kisame also approached from behind. Unless something unexpected happened, Naruto''s speed and time were simply not enough to form hand seals.


    However, there were three ninjutsu systems given by the system that did not require hand seals.


    Flying Thunder God, Adamantine Sealing Chains and Four Symbols Seal.


    Thetter two things wouldn¡¯t cause much harm to Itachi and Kisame, whose strength is far greater than that of Naruto now.


    Naruto never forgot his original intention and was determined to escape.


    As Itachi closed in on Naruto, nearly grabbing him, Naruto activated the Flying Thunder God Technique!


    In an instant, he returned to the position where the confrontation began, leaving a few Explosive Tags behind as he vanished.


    Itachi''s eyes widened slightly and he instantly left the explosion range.


    Boom! Boom!


    The loud explosions echoed across the skies of Konoha.


    The Shinobi on guard duty scattered throughout the vige all raised their heads and looked in the direction of the sound.


    "Kisame, let''s go."


    Itachi was almost unharmed, but he still decided to temporarily abandon the n.


    Naruto, who had narrowly escaped, hid in the shadows of an abandoned building. He silently apologized for blowing up a newly constructed building that was set to be sold and was thankful that this era whichcked extensive surveince systems.


    Fortunately, he was well prepared and ced the Flying Thunder God Kunai in a building not far from him. If he had ced it any further, he might have been in real trouble.


    "What are you hiding from?"


    A familiar voice emerged from the shadows, causing Naruto to spin around, only to see a strange ck-haired girl. Her clothes were somewhat worn, and her haircked luster.


    ¡®But I feel like I''ve heard this tone before¡­¡¯


    "It''s you?"


    Naruto was dumbfounded, ¡®Orochimaru had already run away, so what was Tayuya doing here?¡¯


    Tayuya had changed her disguise again, and it seemed that she had used some Ninjutsu. In short, her appearance was somewhat different from the previous two times.


    Now, she resembled an ordinary girl from the slums. There was nothing striking about her appearance, and it didn¡¯t seem odd for her to be in an abandoned building.


    "It seems you recognized me." Tayuya said coldly, "It seems I have no choice but to kill you."


    "I''ll treat you to a beef bowl."


    "Hmph." Tayuya put away her weapon, "If you put it that way... I''ll let you live a few more days."


    "What vor do you want to eat?" Naruto asked, propping himself up from the dusty ground. His palms were covered with grime, and there was a musty smell inside the building.


    Perhaps due to the long years of disrepair and theck of light, even though they weren¡¯t far apart, they still couldn¡¯t see each other''s faces clearly. Dirty water dripped from the cracks in the ceiling,nding on Naruto''s shoulder.


    "I¡¯ve never had it, but it sounds tasty."


    "Then I''ll choose for you."


    "Can I add an extra ice cream? If you refuse, I''ll kill you immediately."


    "Of course you can. I just happened to escape a disaster, so it can be considered a celebration." Naruto exhaled, "But if my life is only worth an ice cream, I really can''t be happy."


    "How about two?"


    ¡°Will it upset your stomach?¡±


    "No, I¡¯ve only gone three days without food."


    "You¡¯ll die!" Naruto gasped.


    "It''s just three days." Tayuya disyed a proud expression, lifting her chin slightly with a smirk.


    "That isn''t something to brag about, is it?" Naruto was exasperated, ¡®What on earth was this girl doing here? Why would she stay behind? How could Orochimaru have such a stupid subordinate?¡¯


    "Let''s go." Naruto walked past Tayuya with his hands in his pockets and asked with narrowed eyes, "Where''s the exit in this ce?"


    "It''s so dark, I can''t see anything at all."

 Chapter 73 The Taste is Just So-So

    Chapter 73 The Taste is Just So-So


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    A flute was silently pressed against Naruto¡¯s neck, and Tayuya''s cold voice whispered in his ear.


    "If you dare to go out, I¡¯ll kill you immediately."


    "Then I won''t go out." Naruto immediately raised his hands in surrender.


    ¡°Beef bowl.¡±


    "Then I''ll go out and buy it."


    "I¡¯ll kill you."


    "Then just go ahead and kill me. But when you bury me, make sure the grave is nicely dug." Naruto said helplessly.


    In the end, Tayuya relented.


    Naruto returned with two beef bowls, using the Flying Thunder God Kunai he had left in the abandoned building. On the way, he also bought a lot of food and other supplies, which he quickly stashed away in his seal space when no one was looking.


    Inside the seal space, Kyubi heard themotion outside but didn¡¯t even bother to open his eyes. Beside him was a mountain of DVDs.


    "Where did you get all this stuff?" Tayuya asked, feeling a little surprised.


    Seeing Naruto pulling a bunch of things out of thin air like a magician, she blinked in disbelief and rxed her vignce a little.


    Naruto probably guessed that Tayuya''s purpose of staying in Konoha was to make it easier to capture Sasuke. After all, Orochimaru would never give up Sasuke, and he was just waiting for an opportunity.


    "It''s just a Ninjutsu." Naruto pped his hands and said, "These things should be enough for you to consume for a while. If not, I wille back with more."


    Tayuya was stunned and raised her dirty face to ask, "Why are you helping me? Don''t you have anything to ask?"


    "Not interested." Naruto waved his hand dismissively and said, "You¡¯ve got your own mission, right? It wouldn¡¯t be polite to pry."


    Of course, he knew that the Sound Four were here to capture Sasuke, but he didn¡¯t care enough to interfere. This was the path Sasuke would choose, and Naruto wouldn¡¯t stop him.


    ¡®Itachi is too scary. If I had such a brother, I¡¯d probably stab him a couple of times just to feel better. If he can''t beat Itachi head-on, then I will indirectly support Sasuke¡¯s revenge efforts from the sidelines.¡¯


    Naruto didn¡¯t linger long. After chatting for a while, he left.


    ¡­


    Two dayster.


    Naruto''s life returned to its usual calm. He didn¡¯t like cooking, so he went to Ichiraku Ramen every day, yawning as he ate.


    At night, at Ichiraku Ramen¡­


    Under the warm yellow lights, Naruto slurped down his ramen inrge bites.


    Teuchi, who is standing behind the counter, squinted with a satisfied expression on his face, and asked with a smile, "Naruto, you seem to being here a lot more often these days?"


    "Uncle."


    "What is it, Naruto?"


    "Besides the surname Ichiraku, do you have any other surname?" Naruto asked while eating ramen. (T/N: Since Teuchi has no surname, I use Ichiraku as his surname.)


    "You silly kid, what nonsense are you talking about?" Teuchiughed heartily, not taking offense at Naruto¡¯s question.


    "Uncle, I¡¯ve run into some troubletely."


    "Is there anything I can help with?" Teuchi asked, his expression turning serious.


    Naruto looked up at Teuchi, blinking a few times before hesitantly asking.


    "Maybe¡­ Uncle, could you offer them a deal they can¡¯t refuse?"


    "A bowl of ramen?" Teuchi asked doubtfully.


    "Never mind," Naruto sighed and said, "I just hope the Ramen God will bless his faithful follower with some good luck."


    Teuchi didn¡¯t quite understand what Naruto is saying, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. A boy of Naruto¡¯s age has reached the age of fantasizing a lot of things, so there is nothing to be surprised about.


    The rainy season hade, and when Naruto woke up again, heavy rain was pouring down outside his window.


    He stared weakly at the ceiling, thinking about what vor of ramen he should eat today. Recently, Naruto had been more devout about eating ramen than visiting a shrine, as it was the only thing he could do right now.


    Waiting.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.


    Naruto, who was lying on the bed, had his pupils widened instantly and with a thought, he grasped the sword in his hand.


    Knock knock knock!!


    The dull knocking sound continued, Naruto, barefoot, quietly got out of bed, holding the long de as he slowly opened the door to his room.


    The knocking grew louder and clearer, echoing eerily in the quiet of the apartment.


    With the rain howling outside, Naruto considered who or what might be knocking at his door at a time like this, ¡®The Anbu never knocked on the door, and Kakashi always used the window.¡¯


    ¡®Sasuke was seriously injured and Sakura was training with the medical department.¡¯


    ¡®Is there really only that possibility left?¡¯


    Naruto gripped his sword tightly, nning to throw open the door and attack whoever was on the other side, then make a quick escape. With the rain pouring down, any explosion sounds might not even carry far.


    Moreover, the Explosive Tags provided by the system have been used up.


    He usually didn¡¯t bother to buy Ninja Tools, a bit ofziness that could cost him dearly.


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯


    ¡®The God of Ramen should have some effect. Those who lie will go to hell.¡¯


    ¡®Forget it!¡¯


    Naruto yanked open the door, and the storm''s wind and rain instantly surged inside. Naruto clenched his teeth, ready to strike, only to be met with a head of blonde hair.


    "Huh?"


    Naruto was confused, his eyes instantly bing dull.


    Ino, who was soaking wet, was shivering in the rain-soaked hallway while holding something that looked like a lunch box. Her blonde bangs were stered against her pale face, and her purple dress clung tightly to her body, revealing faint traces of the fabric beneath.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "What are you doing with that... sword?" Ino shivered from the cold after being soaked.


    "This... it¡¯s a long story." Naruto stared at Ino, confirming that her gaze was clear before tossing the sword aside.


    "Anyway, juste inside for now."


    ¡­


    Naruto leaned outside the bathroom door and knocked.


    "So, you braved the storm just to bring me some food?"


    Ino didn¡¯t answer directly. After a moment, her frustrated voice came from the bathroom.


    ¡°Argh!! How was I supposed to know it would rain, you idiot! Forget everything that happened just now!!!¡±


    "Sorry, I saw everything."


    ¡°Go to hell!!!¡±


    The bathroom door cracked open, and a slender hand yanked Naruto by the shirt. Ino showed half of her head and red at Naruto, then shoved him out.


    Naruto stood up and shrugged his shoulders, then he sat in the living room and opened the food box, finding the contents soaked from the rain.


    It just so happened that Naruto hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast yet, so he didn¡¯t mind.


    After taking out a spare toothbrush from the cab and washing his face, Naruto sat on the carpet and finished off the food. The taste was mediocre, and the rainwater had made it soggy and mushy.


    After mentally giving the meal a six out of ten for the sake of friendship, Naruto heard the bathroom door open.


    Naruto was about to turn around but was stopped by a shout.


    "Don''t look back, you idiot!"


    Ino, wrapped in a bathrobe, sat on the sofa. Her slender and delicate hands, which were slightly smaller than Naruto''s, fiddled with the food box a few times. Then, she asked Naruto with an incredulous look on her face, "You everything?"


    "Ah, the taste is just so-so." Naruto said, lying back on the carpet.


    Ino''s expression suddenly turned strange and she said somewhat awkwardly, "That wasn¡¯t for you. It was for Akamaru."

 Chapter 74 Outside The Door

    Chapter 74 Outside The Door


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    "What? You weren''t..." Naruto abruptly sat up.


    "I''m sorry." Ino quickly bowed her head in apology, "It was mixed with rainwater. I thought you wouldn''t open it, but it''s a normal dish, only the taste is not very good."


    "It just so happened that I had to go to the Inuzuka n today, so I prepared that food, but I didn''t expect that rainwater would be spilled in it."


    "Who would believe that?" Naruto looked at her with a face full of grievance, "This is too much. Just tell me what to do now?"


    Ino¡¯s face flushed red, and she lowered her head as she said, "I don¡¯t know."


    Looking at Ino''s embarrassed look, Naruto rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment before suggesting, "How about a maid outfit?"


    "You!" Ino, holding her bathrobe, angrily stood up. But when she saw Naruto pointing at the empty food box on the table, guilt quickly returned to her face.


    "That won¡¯t do. Pick something else." She said in a low voice.


    "I can¡¯t think of anything else." At that moment, he restrained himself and didn''t say anything too outrageous.


    "Okay then¡­"


    Ino¡¯s face turned a deeper shade of red, and her tone carried a hint of unease. She crossed her arms over her chest, casting a somewhat aggrieved look at Naruto, and her eyes glistening with moisture.


    ¡®That expression¡ªthis girl was seriously good at this.¡¯


    ¡®She had already mastered the powerful expressions that could easily sway a guy''s heart¡­ it was terrifying.¡¯


    As the clothes dryer hummed familiarly in the bathroom, Naruto didn¡¯t approach the couch, but instead walked toward the balcony.


    The visibility outside was extremely low, and he could barely see the buildings just a few dozen meters away.


    A white mist, stirred up by the sudden rain and dark clouds, enveloped the entire Konoha Vige. Trees snapped aggressively in the howling wind. As he pushed open the balcony door, a red umbre, caught in the wind, spun wildly in the air before being yanked away by a gust with a whoosh.


    Naruto felt a creeping unease and his brow furrowed instinctively.


    "Ino."


    "Huh? What''s wrong?"


    Ino seemed a bit flustered. She was afraid that the person in front of her would suddenly pull out a maid outfit from somewhere. It wouldn¡¯t be unlike him, as Naruto was surprisingly persistent when it came to certain things.


    "Was it raining when you arrived?"


    "Yeah, it suddenly started pouring." Inoined, "I heard from my dad that the vige seemed to be in trouble, and the Advisors have been discussing countermeasures these days."


    "Even the Daimyo is here. If there is a heavy rain, the vige''s surveince facilities will have to be overhauled. My dad doesn''t spend much time at home to begin with, and now he¡¯ll probably be busy for at least half a month."


    The Yamanaka n was in charge of the vige''s surveince and intelligence work, coborating with the pervert, Ibiki¡¯s interrogation unit. To some extent, they took on the duties that had once been the responsibility of the now-disbanded Konoha Guard toon.


    Although Sandaime died in the battle, Jiraiya is still in the vige. Konoha''s Anbu had suffered severe losses, so for now, Shinobi from the Root would temporarily step in to fill the gaps. A small portion of Shinobi from both organizations could be rotated as needed.


    This is the reason why Naruto hadn¡¯t exined the situation with the explosion to the Anbu. With the vige effectively leaderless, the issue of the Jinchuriki would be increasingly sensitive at this moment.


    After Sandaime¡¯s death, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado did not continue to hold Sunagakure ountable. Instead, they epted Sunagakure''s surrender andpensation, rectified the morale of the military, and immediately convened an election meeting for the Godaime Hokage.


    This is enough to prove that the two Advisors¡¯ stance was very much in line with Sandaime¡¯s¡ªa moderate, preservationist approach. Theycked trust in the younger generation and had little regard for Danzo, their old teammate who often handled the vige¡¯s dirty work.


    Simply put, Sandaime¡¯s disrupted the attitudes of Konoha''s higher-ups towards the Jinchuriki. If anything were to happen to Naruto, the higher-ups would have an excuse to convene and make decisions about him.


    Sandaime¡¯s stance was to simply keep the Jinchuriki as they were and halt any further development of their potential. The two senior Advisors did not trust Naruto, but they also also didn''t advocate handing him over to someone as ambitious as Danzo.


    "Has Inoichi-san been very busytely?" Naruto asked.


    "Yeah." Ino was relieved to see that Naruto wasn''t dwelling on the maid outfit suggestion, "My dad was already very busy before, but after the vige was destroyed, he''s been even busier."


    "Ino, you will probably take over your father''s job in the future, right?" Naruto asked offhandedly, but slowly moved towards the living room¡¯s door.


    Ino, wrapped in a bathrobe, did not notice anything unusual. She frowned in thought for a moment before answering, "Probably."


    "Do you like this kind of work?" Naruto, barefoot, continued to engage Ino in conversation while subtly inching closer to the wall near the door.


    There seems to be something outside the door.


    He picked up the sword and moved toward the bathroom.


    Ino was the only one left in the living room, but she seemed lost in thought. After a while, she finally mustered the courage to say, " It''s not like I have to take over my dad¡¯s¡­"


    She turned her head sharply, only to find that Naruto was no longer in the living room. She was stunned for a long while, but before she could call out for Naruto¡­


    The bathroom door opened silently, and Naruto, dressed in a thin casual short-sleeve shirt, held a katana in one hand and all of Ino''s clothes in the other.


    The ckce panties and the purple slit skirt were mixed together. It was obvious that he had acted in a hurry, and had directly taken the underwear and skirt out of the dryer together.


    Ino''s mind went nk, like the dryer had stopped, but her brain was now spinning.


    Her face first turned bright red, then quickly puffed up with anger. However, before Ino could even speak, Naruto had already predicted what she was going to say next.


    ¡®Pervert?¡¯


    ¡®That word alone wouldn¡¯t pack enough of a punch.¡¯


    If it were any other time, Naruto would have exchanged a few banter lines with Ino, but this wasn''t the right time.


    Naruto made a shushing gesture with the katana in hand, silently walked up to the stunned Ino, pointed at the clothes, then at her body, and mouthed the words, "Put it on."


    After that, without even looking at Ino, he silently turned around. With his back to Ino, he held the katana and pointed it at the closed front door.


    Ino, realizing something was wrong, quickly started putting on her clothes in the living room.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    Knocking sounds rang on the door again.


    This time, the knocks were slow and deliberate, and no one in the living room responded.


    Naruto''s apartment was old, and usually, no one came to knock on his door. Even though it was daytime, the outside light was barely brighter than it would be at night.


    There was no peephole on the door, and the only way to see who was outside was to open it.


    Suddenly, a hand grabbed Naruto''s arm. Ino''s profile entered Naruto''s field of vision, her face filled with intense worry.


    Naruto nced at Ino, his face showing a serious expression that waspletely different from usual. He gently squeezed Ino¡¯s hand, signaling her to stay calm


    With a loud bang, the door was kicked open, causing dust to shake loose from the walls. Itachi and Kisame¡¯s figures appeared in the doorway, their shadows stretching long into the living room.


    "It looks like that Kyubi brat isn''t home, Itachi-san." Kisame''s mocking voice echoed in the living room, and his fish face hidden under the bamboo hat was full of bloodlust.


    Itachi said nothing and slowly walked towards the room.


    Outside on the balcony, Naruto and Ino stood on a tiny ledge protruding from the wall, almost sticking to each other. The two were instantly soaked by the heavy rain and looked at each other nervously.

 Chapter 75 If I Was Eighteen…

    Chapter 75 If I Was Eighteen¡­


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    Naruto could feel Ino''s warm breath on his neck, as the fierce wind mixed with the heavy rainshed against them.


    The two looked at each other, listening to the footsteps in the living room, their bodies drenched by the heavy rain, their hearts beating wildly as they clung to each other.


    Itachi''s voice was low, and was filled with an overwhelming sense of pressure.


    "Kisame, check the balcony."


    "Okay." Kisame''s footsteps were deliberately loud, each step echoing ominously as he approached the balcony.


    Naruto''s apartment had been renovated, with wooden flooring on the balcony and a thick ss door separating it from the living room. With a loud bang, the door was pulled open heavily, and the ss shattered all over the floor.


    The sound of the rain intensified instantly, with raindrops pouring into the living room, making the pale green curtains p wildly in the wind.


    From the sound alone, Naruto could guess what kind of mess the ss door had turned into. He felt a brief pang of regret, but not daring to make a sound. He was soaked by the heavy rain, making him feel cold and heavy, but he clutched his sword instead of an umbre.


    Ino was even more terrified by Itachi''s words. Even though she didn¡¯t know who the two men outside were, the sheer oppressive aura they emitted was enough to make her feel like she couldn''t breathe.


    A terrifying, inhuman face appeared from the balcony. Kisame''s eerie eyes scanned the area, but he found that there was no one outside the balcony.


    "It seems that that brat has escaped again." Kisame said, retracting his head.


    "He can''t run far." Itachi said expressionlessly, "Avoid drawing too much attention from the Anbu. We need to wrap this up before Jiraiya arrives."


    "Got it." Kisame bared his sharp teeth, hoisting his massive de, Samehada, onto his shoulder as he asked, "It looks like he had a girl with him. Should we kill her?"


    "Yeah." Itachi left the living room, "I have something to take care of. I''ll be gone for a while."


    "Itachi-san, I can handle this alone."


    "Alright."


    Downstairs, Naruto was pulling Ino through a narrow alley at full speed, the rain hitting their faces with stinging force.


    Overhead, a web of tangled power lines crisscrossed, and old utility poles leaned precariously against the alley walls.


    Their feet sshed through puddles as they ran, their pants soaked through. The alley was in terrible condition, with mud puddles everywhere. Ino, panting heavily, wiped the rain from her face.


    "Naruto, who... who were those two people?"


    "Missing-nin, total maniacs!"


    "Why... why are they after you?"


    "The world is so big, it''s normal that there are always people who covet my body." Naruto replied as he ran.


    "But¡­ someone is chasing us."


    "Don''t worry about him. Let him chase, and we''ll keep running."


    "What the hell is that?!"


    Naruto took a quick nce over his shoulder during their sprint and saw Kisame.


    "A little fish-man!!"


    "What?" Ino didn''t understand and her stamina was rapidly depleting as they ran so fast.


    "Don''t worry, he can''t catch up!"


    "Naruto, I can''t run anymore, you go first! Leave me behind!"


    "Damn it!! Then stop talking and focus on running for your life!"


    Ino was gasping for air, already breathless as she spoke.


    "When you gave me that flowerst time, I was really happy. It was... the first time I ever received flower!"


    "No worries, after I¡¯m dead, my grave will have plenty of them. You can pick as many as you like!"


    As he said that, Naruto suddenly flung Ino forward, his right foot sshing into a puddle, sending water flying a meter high. With his back to Ino, he faced Kisame who was chasing them from behind.


    "Naruto!!" Ino shouted as she scrambled out of the puddle, her face covered in scratches.


    "Don''te any closer!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder, still facing away from her, "Hide well and stay alive! The Anbu will be here soon!!"


    Hoshigaki approached slowly, his massive sword, Samehada, slung over his shoulder, grinning as he stood in the rain. With a swift motion, he swung the sword down toward Naruto.


    Naruto instinctively wanted to dodge, but he nced back at Ino, clenched his teeth, and roared as he met Kisame''s strike with his own katana.


    ¡®Itachi didn''te!! Please don''t let Itachi followed here!!¡¯


    ¡®If he didn¡¯t follow, then I can survive this.¡¯


    "Well, well." A smile appeared on Kisame''s extremely terrifying face, "Are you serious about this? Aren''t you a good runner?"


    "Ptui!" Naruto didn''t say anything, but spat at Kisame.


    Unfortunately, the rain was too heavy and his spit was knocked down before it even reached Kisame.


    Kisame seemed amused rather than angered. He revealed his sharp teeth as the bandages wrapped around Samehada unraveled, exposing its jagged, spiky surface.


    With a sudden yank, Kisame pulled back his sword, and Naruto''s sword shattered instantly, the force sending the broken de flying into the air. Naruto''s wrist, unable to withstand the impact, let go of the sword.


    Breathing heavily, Naruto pulled out his Flying Thunder God Kunai.


    In the distance, Kisame looked down at the kunai in Naruto''s hand. His tall body casted a shadow over half of the alley as he spoke through the rain.


    "Itachi-san mentioned that everyone has a weakness."


    "To catch a nimble little rat, you need to grab onto something it cares about."


    Naruto''s heart skipped a beat when he heard this, and his pupils dted slightly as if he realized something. Without a second thought, he threw the Flying Thunder God Kunai in his hand directly in Ino¡¯s direction.


    The next moment, Kisame¡¯s figure rose from the puddle and appeared in front of Ino, who had no time to escape. His expression remained cold as he raised Samehada to sh Ino.


    From the moment Naruto shed with Kisame to the moment Kisame used his Ninjutsu to appear in front of Ino, only a brief half-minute had passed.


    ¡°Ahhhh!!¡±


    Ino had not yetpleted her hand seals and her body was paralyzed by the sudden, overwhelming killing intent. She could only watch in terror as Samehada descended upon her.


    The narrow alley resembled a flooded trench, with the relentless rain pouring down.


    Naruto crouched slightly, every muscle in his body tense, his face twisted in rage. The Chakra surging within him was so intense that it vaporized the rainwater on his skin, turning it into steam.


    Thirty meters away, Kisame loomed over a puddle, Samehada raised high. Ino sat on the muddy ground, one hand supporting her weight, with the other instinctively shielding herself.


    A Flying Thunder God Kunai zipped through the rain and hovered between Kisame and Ino.


    Two days ago, despite facing capture by Itachi and Kisame, Naruto had refrained from using Kyubi¡¯s power. He also did not inform the Anbu because he did not want to hand the initiative to the hands of the higher-ups at this delicate time.


    Danzo still owes him an exnation, and the matter of the Root Shinobi is not over yet.


    Naruto wanted to wait a little longer, as the future was still long. He just needed time. Naruto knew he could be stronger¡­ strong enough to refuse any demands from the vige, strong enough to peel off Kyubi from himself without any injury.


    Mastering Sealing Techniques to such an extent wasn''t impossible.


    But he never expected Ino to show up. He had been living alone for a few days, waiting for Itachi. He even mapped out escape routes and set up the Flying Thunder God markers on various ces.


    The Flying Thunder God Technique in Naruto¡¯s hand is not at the maximum level, so it only allowed him to teleport within a limited distance. Naruto is not a heaven-defying character who can master the Flying Thunder God Technique as soon as he touches it.


    Flying Thunder God: Second Stage!


    In an instant, Naruto used the Flying Thunder God to teleport, tightly wrapping his arms around Ino and exposing his backpletely to the descending Samehada.


    His eyes transformed into blood-red slits, glowing ominously in the rain. His voice turned hoarse as he shouted desperately amidst the downpour, "Kurama!!"

 Chapter 76 Sasuke: Me Too

    Chapter 76 Sasuke: Me Too


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    At that moment, the torrential rain seemed to freeze in time. Therge raindrops, smooth and clear, resembled polished mirrors.


    In the dimly lit seal space, the small DVD yer emitted white noise, and the massive Kyubi dozed offzily. The flickering screen illuminated the fox''s sleek, orange fur.


    A roar from Naruto calling his name caused Kyubi to suddenly open his eyes.


    He stared in disbelief as the Four Symbols Seal on the door slowly began to open, inch by inch. ncing down at the mountain of DVDs, then back at the seal door that was about to open, Kyubi¡¯s expression turned fierce, baring his sharp teeth.


    He suddenly raised his paw and ced it on top of the DVD yer, and a hint of hesitation shed in hisrge eyes.


    ¡°It''d be a shame to step on it.¡±


    Kyubi muttered, and carefully retracted his ws.


    "Let¡¯s go out and get some fresh air!"


    Back in the narrow alley, red Biju Chakra exploded outward. The intense heat instantly evaporated the falling rain, creating a dense mist that quickly spread.


    Kisame instinctively tried to use Samehada to absorb the Chakra, but when he suddenly realized something was wrong, it was already toote. The massive surge of Kyubi¡¯s Chakra violently sted both him and his sword away.


    The entire alley was obliterated in an instant, and the loud noise attracted the Jonin and Anbu who were rushing over here. Since the Konoha Crush n, the Jonin and Anbu had been on almost constant patrol.


    "What is that?"


    The Anbu and almost all the Jonin were scattered on the roof, looking in the same direction at the same time. When they saw the colossal red fox within the mist, their hearts nearly stopped.


    "We''re in trouble¡­"


    A powerful sense of dread gripped all of them as they stared, wide-eyed, at the gigantic, fiery-red fox in the distance.


    Rainwater dripped down Kakashi''s hair, soaking his mask.


    "Stop the Kyubi from rampaging and evacuate the surrounding residents." An Anbu in a white robe appeared andmanded, his voice was extremely cold.


    Seven or eight Anbu¡¯s members immediately vanished, heading off to follow orders. Kakashi turned to look at Guy, his voice more serious than ever.


    "Guy, do me a favor."


    "Kakashi," Guy nodded seriously, "Anything you need."


    "Don''t let my student fall into the hands of the Anbu."


    Ino, who had been tightly held in Naruto''s arms, was stunned. She opened her eyes and stared nkly at his profile, noticing his red eyes emitting an eerie, blood-red glow.


    The oppressive aura from that monstrous man was overwhelming. Even though Ino didn¡¯t know who he was, she couldn¡¯t stop the fear from welling up inside her. Facing the brink of death, her mind went nk.


    To die like this... it would be so unfair.


    It turns out that right before death, all one can think about is what they nned to do tomorrow.


    No matter how hard she tried, Ino can''t imagine what it feels like to be hugged by someone. But at this moment, her heart felt like it was about to overflow.


    The next second, Kyubi suddenly emerged.


    He has a mountain-like figure, sharp teeth and long ears, and nine ming red tails that keep swaying in the rain. He roared toward the sky in the rain, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.


    Ino was flung aside andnded in a puddle.


    Before Kisame could stand up, Kyubi mmed him into the ground with a powerful paw. As he tried to recover, Kyubi punched him again, his massive fist crushing the Chakra-empowered fish-man form of Kisame, causing him to cough up blood.


    "Quick, stop it!"


    "We can''t let the vige be destroyed!"


    Kyubi, still intent on continuing his assault, began to gather a Bijudama in his mouth. However, the Anbu¡¯s members quickly responded by erecting Earth Release: Earth Flow Walls around Kyubi, attempting to contain him.


    But the moment the Earth Flow Walls was formed, Kyubi shattered it with sheer brute force. He let out a furious roar as he charged toward Kisame.


    At this time, Itachi suddenly appeared in front of Kisame, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning wildly. He unleashed Amaterasu, which set Kyubi aze.


    The small Bijudama in his mouth dissipated instantly, and Kyubi roared angrily and howled in pain.


    "Kisame, let''s go!"


    "Itachi-san."


    The two men quickly retreated, but a group of Anbu followed them. However, Kisame, though injured, managed to stall them temporarily with a powerful Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, creating a massive barrier of water.


    Kyubi, unable to withstand the burning Amaterasu, simply returned to the seal space on his own initiative to iste himself from the Amaterasu.


    As the heavy rain dispersed the white mist, Naruto was left unconscious, lying in a pool of water.


    Guy and Kakashi arrived at Naruto''s side one step ahead of the Anbu, then quickly positioned themselves protectively beside Naruto. Kakashi, with his usual deadpan expression, scanned the Anbu¡¯s members before speakingzily, one hand in his pocket, "Well, it looks like Naruto didn''t lose control, and since there were no casualties¡­"


    "Hand over the Jinchuriki to us for containment." The white-robed Anbu interrupted Kakashi and said coldly.


    "Don''t refer to him as just a Jinchuriki. Naruto is my student. Since Sandaime-sama appointed me as his Jonin Instructor, then..." Kakashi had no intention of giving in.


    "Until a direct order from the Hokage or the higher-ups is given, I¡¯ll be the one to look after Naruto."


    "Sandaime-sama has died in the battle, and you..." The Anbu was a little annoyed and red coldly to Kakashi.


    "Then wait until the new Hokage is appointed, or until the two Advisors give the order." Kakashi nced at the Anbu with his dead eye, "I¡¯ve spent some time in the Root too."


    "In this situation where the Anbu suffers serious losses and is short of personnel, theoretically, the Root¡¯s members can temporarily fill in the Anbu¡¯s roles without changing their affiliation."


    The rain continued to pour down as the eight Anbu remained silent, staring at Kakashi.


    After a long pause, the white-robed Anbu waved his hand, "Let¡¯s go."


    All the Anbu had left, leaving only two Elite Jonin, Kakashi and Guy, standing at the scene. Naruto and Inoy unconscious in different puddles, far apart from each other.


    "Kakashi." Guy asked in surprise, "How do you know they are not Anbu?"


    "That''s Ino over there, right?" Kakashi signaled Guy to look to the other side. Ino was lying in a puddle, her blonde hair disheveled and soaked in the water, and rain is still falling on her face.


    "Root only cares about the mission, and they wouldn''t even care about the heir of the Yamanaka n."


    ¡­


    Konoha Hospital.


    Naruto opened his eyes.


    Sunlight streamed through the bright hospital window, and the sharp scent of disinfectant filled the room, killing any appetite he might have had. The walls were pristine, so white they reflected the sun''s rays, and the sheets smelled faintly ofvender.


    "You''re awake?"


    A very familiar yet exceptionally cold voice sounded from one side. Naruto turned his head and saw the profile of Sasuke, whose upper body was wrapped in bandages, on another hospital bed.


    Sasuke seemed more injured than before. Naruto could vaguely see the blood seeping through the bandages on his forehead.


    It was only then that Naruto realized they were in the same room, separated by a white table with a vase of fresh white roses.


    "What a coincidence, Sasuke." Naruto said as he raised his body and sat cross-legged on the bed. He pointed at the wounds on his body in an attempt to make Sasuke feel guilty, "It was Itachi who did this."


    Sasuke didn''t react at all. Instead, he turned his bruised and swollen face fully toward Naruto. With his eyes swollen, he coldly muttered, "Me too."

 Chapter 77 The Long Summer

    Chapter 77 The Long Summer


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    Naruto did not expect this and stared at Sasuke''s uneven Naruto was caught off guard by Sasuke¡¯s response, staring at his uneven face for a while before bursting intoughter, ¡°Hahahahahaha!!!¡±


    "Idiot." Sasuke shot him a cold nce.


    "Hahahaha!!!" Naruto pointed at Sasuke''s face, clutching his stomach as heughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes.


    Sasuke ignored Naruto and turned his head to look out the window with an indifferent look.


    Sasuke¡¯s pale skin, ck hair and eyebrows seemed particrly suitable for the dull and white atmosphere of the hospital. His calm eyes held a trace of coldness.


    "He came for you?" Sasuke''s voice was emotionless.


    This ¡®he¡¯ naturally refers to Itachi.


    "I guess so." Naruto flopped back onto the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling, "It was probably for the Kyubi, to capture the Jinchuriki or something like that."


    Naruto then thought of Ino. Before losing consciousness, he had vaguely seen Kakashi. ¡®Kakashi was still as reliable as ever, and with him stepping in, Ino would probably be fine.¡¯


    ¡®Kisame and Itachi are too powerful. Someone like me who doesn''t have muchbat experience cannot deal with both of them at the same time.¡¯


    ¡®Kyubi¡¯s power has not been fully unlocked, my mastery of Flying Thunder God is still at a beginner''s level, and Lava Release is insufficient against experienced opponents like Itachi and Kisame.¡¯


    People like Itachi and Kisame, who had survived countless battles, weren¡¯t the type to just engage in a straightforward fight. As soon as he made a move, Kisame aimed directly at Ino.


    If Naruto hadn''t forcibly opened the seal to let Kyubi fight in his ce, Ino might have been dead by now.


    An enemy isn¡¯t terrifying, what¡¯s terrifying is a smart enemy.


    Fortunately, Sasuke had drawn some of Itachi''s attention, which allowed Naruto to survive what could have been a deadly encounter.


    "Sasuke, thank you."


    "What are you thanking me for?" Sasuke nced at him coldly.


    "Thank you for taking the beating."


    Sasuke really wanted to punch Naruto, if only his hands could move.


    "It looks like you guys have almost recovered."


    The door creaked open as Kakashi and Sakura walked in. Sakura ced a basket of fruit on the table in the corner of the room, sliced some apples, and then walked to the middle to feed both of them.


    Naruto was still lying on the bed, while his injuries have alreadypletely healed.


    However, when he saw Sakura feeding him, he simply pretended to be weak.


    "Ah."


    "Idiot." Sasuke nced at Naruto, but not interested in exposing him.


    "Sasuke." Sakura called as she handed a slice of apple to Sasuke''s mouth.


    "No need."


    "If he doesn''t eat, I will." Naruto said.


    Sasuke immediately took a bite of the apple slice and red at Naruto.


    Sakura smiled, and her eyes narrowed into crescents. She sat in the middle, carefully slicing apples and feeding them one by one to both Naruto and Sasuke.


    Her smooth, pale legs were neatly folded on the chair, her posture straight, and her chest slightly rising with each breath.


    Kakashi leaned against the window, holding a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hand. His gaze asionally drifting from the pages to the three of them, and there¡¯s a smile in his eye.


    At that moment, the summer day felt longer than ever, with the cicadas buzzing loudly, the sunlight shining brightly, and the greenery growing wildly.


    The entire Team 7 gathered in one hospital room, rxing and enjoying the happiness of surviving the disaster.


    Sakura was gentler than ever, Sasuke didn¡¯t refuse the apples, and Naruto was still his usual carefree self.


    Kakashi flipped through the pages of his freshly folded Icha Icha Paradise, but didn''t read a single line of words.


    The wind rustled through the treetops.


    Naruto¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t severe, and he was discharged the same day.


    Kakashi informed the team that Team 7 wouldn''t be taking on any missions for the time being. With both a Jinchuriki and Uchiha n¡¯s survivor on the team, the higher-ups needed time to deliberate.


    "Naruto, here."


    In the hallway, Sakura handed Naruto his clothes. The seams had been mended with fine stitches that were almost unnoticeable unless one looked closely.


    "Thanks." Naruto said as he epted the clothes, his gaze lingering on the stitching.


    "I noticed they were torn, so I just stitched them up a bit." Sakura said, blushing slightly, "I just learned it not long ago, so..."


    "It¡¯s well done."


    "Is Ino also in the hospital?" Naruto asked.


    "She woke up earlier than you and was discharged from the hospital yesterday." Sakura replied seriously. She then patted Naruto''s shoulder and asked suspiciously, "But how did Ino get hurt?"


    "She was on her way to the Inuzuka n''spound when it started raining heavily, so she stopped by my ce to wait out the rain and got caught up in everything." Naruto exined as the sunlight streaming through the corridor stretched his shadow.


    "Don''t worry, she''s fine, she just fainted at the time." Sakura said, holding a medical chart with a cross symbol on her armband, indicating her affiliation with the medical department.


    "But when she woke up yesterday, she seemed pretty anxious about you. Since when did you two get so close?"


    "Huh?" Naruto blinked.


    ¡®Yeah, when did that happen? Was it during that training session with Guy''s team, or back when we were on the Hokage Rock?


    "Make sure you go visit Ino, stupid Naruto." Sakura said, lightly tapping Naruto on the head with the clipboard before walking away.


    ¡­


    After returning home, Naruto was greeted by the sight of shattered ss all over the living room. The curtains were soaked and draped over the balcony railing, which were twisted and deformed. He stood there, dumbfounded, realizing he hadpletely forgotten about the mess.


    The living room was inplete disarray, and with the balcony door wide open, the floor was damp. The entire house smelled musty and felt unusually cold.


    "Forget it, I¡¯ll just move somewhere else." Naruto sighed and dragged himself into the house to pack his things.


    He was discharged from the hospital in the morning and moved to a new ce by the afternoon.


    Naruto found a ce that was better than the old apartment and moved in right away.


    The higher-ups were still undecided on what to do about Naruto. Essentially, they were waiting for the next Hokage to take office before making any decisions.


    The two Advisors have always had different opinions from Danzo, and when ites to matters as important as the Jinchuriki, which concerns the safety of the vige, a new voice was needed to break the deadlock.


    After quickly tidying up, when it was getting dark, Naruto went out and bought a plush toy as a gift.


    The streets of Konoha are bustling with people, the lights casting a mix of shadows and bright spots. The main street ran through the entire vige, lit from end to end for the past seventy years.


    The Yamanaka Flower Shop was some distance away from Naruto''s new ce. After a long walk, he finally stood under the big tree outside.


    Looking through the window, he saw the bright lights inside the shop.


    Ino was standing in front of the counter, chatting andughing with a familiar female customer. The warm light shone on her gentle face, which was full of smiles.


    Until the female customer noticed someone outside, paused and pointed toward the window. Ino turned around and saw Naruto standing under the big tree, and she couldn''t help but froze for a moment.


    Naruto watched as Ino waved at him through the window, smiling brightly.


    He also waved and gestured the gift in his hand.


    In the shop, Ino said a few words to the female customer, then blushed when the female customer covered her mouth and teased her, and ran out of the store as quickly as if escaping.


    "Why are you here?"

 Chapter 78 Ino’s Maid Outfit

    Chapter 78 Ino¡¯s Maid Outfit


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    Ino''s face flushed as she looked away, her eyes glistening with embarrassment.


    "I moved to a new ce and wanted to check on you." Naruto said, handing Ino the gift bag, "Are you alright from the other day?"


    "I''m fine." Ino replied, her face growing even redder.


    When she heard Naruto mention that day, memories of herce lingerie being lifted by a sword and the feeling of being held shed through her mind.


    Suddenly, she felt like there were ants crawling in her heart, making her feel sour, bitter and itchy.


    She looked down as she took the bag, murmuring a soft acknowledgment. But soon after, she lifted her head as if something had suddenlye to mind.


    "Do you want toe inside the shop for a bit?"


    "My parents aren¡¯t home."


    "Not home?" Naruto showed a puzzled look on his face.


    Ino instantly realized the implication of her words and became flustered. Her pupils dted slightly and her face turned bright red instantly.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­"


    "Oh~" Naruto nodded knowingly.


    "Ahhhh!!!! You know nothing! Stop pretending to know everything! Take that ''oh'' back!"


    Ino, fuming with embarrassment, grabbed Naruto and dragged him into the shop.


    "Just wait here."


    The female customer had already left, and Ino hurried upstairs with the gift bag, leaving Naruto to sit idly in the shop, looking at the flowers.


    To be honest, he didn''t recognize many types of flowers. He only knew that this was probably a rose and that was a white rose. When he saw the yellow and white flowers, Naruto immediately gave up thinking.


    After looking around for a while, he heard some creaking noises from upstairs, followed by the sound of Inoing down.


    She carried two cups of hot drinks, which seemed to be freshly made cocoa.


    Naruto could smell the bitter aroma from a distance. He wasn¡¯t particrly fond of cocoa, but since Ino had made it, he decided he could tolerate it.


    "Where did you move to?"


    "To the top floor of 404 Konoha Street." Naruto replied, putting down the cup and frowning slightly.


    Ino''s face instantly fell, and she pursed her lips and said, "If you don''t like it, I¡¯ll just throw it away."


    "I¡¯ll drink it with a heart full of gratitude," Naruto dered firmly.


    "You don''t have to be so exaggerated." Ino said, clearing her throat, the blush on her face finally fading, "I really like the gift you gave me. Thank you."


    Not hearing a response, Ino looked over curiously, only to find Naruto staring at her legs without blinking. She immediately became furious.


    "You pervert!!!"


    "I''m going to die, I''m going to die! Please stop pinching me!" Naruto quickly begged for mercy.


    After a long while, Ino finally let go of Naruto.


    Naruto showed sincere expression and apologized earnestly, "I''m really sorry, Ino."


    Looking at this guy, who was both more skilled at being perverted and more sincere in his apologies than anyone, Ino sighed in exasperation. She kicked Naruto down with a socked foot and lightly pressed it against his chest.


    Her naturally firm leg muscles tensed as her eyes darkened ominously, ¡°Go to hell, you worthless pervert."


    "I¡¯m sorry." Naruto said guiltily.


    ¡°You idiot, don¡¯t apologize with that satisfied look on your face! You¡¯re such a creep!!¡±


    Ino was on the verge of losing it. She sat back down, holding the cocoa in her hands. The residual heat created ayer of mist on the wall of the cup. The hot air steamed her face, and Ino''s eyes were a little erratic.


    ¡®This person always says the strange things. I can''t say I hate him, but I can''t say I like him either.¡¯


    "Ino." Naruto stood up, holding his cup as he gazed out the window.


    "Do you remember what you promised me?"


    "Sorry, I forgot." Ino was stunned for a moment, then she calmly stood up and was about to go upstairs.


    "People who lie have to swallow a thousand needles."


    Ino froze in ce, standing on the first step of the staircase. She pursed her lips and looked back at Naruto, who grinned mischievously and took a deliberately annoying sip of his cocoa, "I just said that casually."


    Ino clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth, "Fine, I''ll wear it."


    After saying that, she stomped up the stairs, her heavy footsteps making Naruto wonder if she was going up to grab a knife instead.


    This time, she took so long that Naruto started to think Ino might have fallen asleep upstairs.


    He had been exhausted from moving earlier in the day, and the cocoa he drank hadn''t helped at all. So his mind began to drift into a haze.


    He thought about Jiraiya and then about Sandaime, who had passed away.


    ¡®Tsunade was likely to seed as the Godaime Hokage, and it wouldn''t be long before Jiraiya would seek me out. As long as I don''t have to ept the fate of being the Child of Prophecy, everything will be fine.¡¯


    Naruto''s eyelids grew heavy as faces shed in his mind: Itachi¡¯s eerily calm expression, Kisame, and Orochimaru, Kyubi and Sasuke.


    "Naruto, Naruto." Ino''s voice pulled him back to reality, followed by a gentle shake, "Honestly, Naruto, how can you fall asleep at a time like this?"


    "Sorry." Naruto lifted his head from the table and saw Ino standing before him in a maid outfit.


    "Hurry up and look! I¡¯m changing back right after, you pervert!" Ino''s face was bright red, her expression filled with reluctance as she red at Naruto with disdain.


    In a daze, Naruto stared at Ino in a maid outfit for a long while.


    Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she wore a pair of cat ears on her head. Ino''s face was a mix of embarrassment and shame, while a fluffy, wide cor adorned with a red ribbon sat around her neck.


    Her entire arm was covered in long, slender ck sleeves, revealing only her pale hands.


    The bust is raised and the waist is slim.


    Her chest was modestly emphasized by the form-fitting outfit, and thece-trimmed skirt barely covered her upper thighs. White knee-high socks continued up toward the skirt, creating a seamless connection.


    Ino''s reluctant look gave her a somewhat saintly aura. She looked down upon Naruto with contempt as she narrowed her eyes.


    "Thank you for the treat."


    "Don''t say weird things like that!" Ino grabbed Naruto by the shirt, her face so close to his as she ground her teeth in a threatening manner.


    Naruto was about to apologize when he heard a noiseing from the entrance of the shop.


    "Ino, you shouldn''t be rude to the customers¡­"


    The sound of a wind chime echoed as the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged couple standing in the doorway, staring at Ino and Naruto in stunned silence.


    Rino''s words caught in her throat as she saw her daughter in a maid outfit, gripping a young boy by the cor.


    The two had obviously just returned from shopping, as the Inoichi was holding several bags in his hands. Seeing this scene, he was stunned at first, and then silently turned his gaze elsewhere.


    "Dad, Mom?" Ino was petrified instantly.


    The night wind was howling. Above the Hokage Rock, Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, stared at the night view of Konoha Vige in silence. Beside him were two of the vige¡¯s elderly Advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.


    "Jiraiya, we need the Godaime Hokage."


    "What does that have to do with me?" Jiraiya didn''t even turn his head, his face was unusually serious.


    "Yesterday, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire arrived in Konoha. During an emergency meeting between the vige¡¯s higher-ups and the Daimyo, we decided to appoint you as the Godaime Hokage."


    "Jiraiya."


    ¡°The vige needs a strong leader. This is our decision.¡±


    "I''m used to being free and undisciplined, and I''m not the type to sit in the Hokage¡¯s Office." Jiraiya refused directly, "Tsunade is more suitable to be the Hokage than me."

 Chapter 79 Why Are You Bullying Naruto Again?

    Chapter 79 Why Are You Bullying Naruto Again?


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    "Tsunade is indeed the most suitable candidate for the Godaime Hokage, but no one knows where she is." Homura stated.


    "I''ll go find her." Jiraiya turned around and said, "However, regarding the matter of how to handle the Jinchuriki, I must have a vote in the decision-making process during the high-level meetings. How about that?"


    The two Advisors looked at each other, with solemn expressions on their faces.


    "Jiraiya, we understand your position and can agree to that."


    "However, it¡¯s important to inform you of recent higher-ups¡¯ discussions. ording to information from our spies, the Land of Lightning is heavily investing in the development of lightning-based energy technologies. The Land of Wind has also recently begun mining an unknown type of metal."


    "Most of the vige''s higher-ups are deeply concerned about these developments. Konoha needs a more powerful Kage to guide us in making the right choices."


    Jiraiya recognized the underlying plea in their words and waved them off dismissively, "Tsunade is the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage, she¡¯s much stronger than I am."


    "Also, I n to take Naruto away for a while."


    "The Jinch¨±riki has been showing signs of instability recently. This is the only thing we cannot promise you, Jiraiya." The elderly female Advisor, Koharu, said with narrowed eyes.


    "Then forget it." Jiraiya turned around and walked away in a very shameless manner, waving his hand. "You might as well make Danzo the Hokage."


    When they heard Jiraiya''s suggestion regarding Danzo, Homura and Koharu''s faces turned green.


    Although Sandaime is dead, their influence remains.


    As senior Advisors of Konoha, who had been involved in major decisions for the vige, Homura and Koharu had long stood firmly with Sandaime and would never consider allowing Danzo, their old teammate who handled the vige''s dirty work, to be the Hokage.


    In their eyes, Danzo was neither fit in character nor in public image to take on the role of Hokage, being darker and more secretive than even the most cunning of men.


    Homura and Koharu do not doubt Danzo''s loyalty to the vige, but they question Danzo''s adherence to the Will of Fire.


    If they had solid evidence, they would even directly suspect that the Shinobi God who had disturbed the hearts of the vigers and discredited the Will of Fire some time ago was Danzo''s doing.


    To put it simply, they looked down on him.


    "Jiraiya." Homura called out, stopping him, "As one of the Sannin, you will be the one taking care of the Jinchuriki for the time being."


    ¡­


    Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    The bright little table reflected the awkward expressions of the two individuals. Ino, who was wearing a maid outfit, was gripping Naruto''s shirt so tightly that she was nearly tearing the cor of his ck short-sleeved shirt.


    "Sorry." Naruto apologized quickly and sincerely, "I was the one who made Ino dress like this."


    "I''m really sorry."


    Ino was stunned at first, pursed her lips, and was about to open her mouth to defend Naruto, "That¡­"


    "Ino." Rino frowned slightly, "Why are you bullying Naruto again? Even if you..."


    Rino sighed halfway through her sentence, a hint of disappointment in her tone, then she pulled Ino aside and whispered to her.


    "Ino-chan, winning the heart of a boy you like isn¡¯t just about using force."


    "I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m not¡­"


    Ino was almost in tears, pointing at her maid outfit, wanting to say something but holding back in the end.


    Rino pulled Ino back and then turned to Naruto with a gentle smile. Her refined demeanor was a stark contrast to Ino¡¯s, and her voice was warm and weing.


    "Thank you for taking care of my little girl."


    "Not at all, Auntie. Ino has been the one taking care of me." Naruto replied.


    Hearing him call her ¡®Auntie¡¯ seemed to please Yamanaka Rino. In the customs of the Land of Fire, for a young person to address an older woman as ¡®Auntie¡¯ during a first meeting implied a close rtionship.


    Ino suddenly felt the grip on her hand loosen as her mother let go and stepped forward to hold Naruto¡¯s hand and said, "Ino can be a handful at times. I hope you can bear with her."


    "Not at all. With a perfect mother like you, Auntie, it¡¯s my honor to have Ino as a friend."


    Naruto''s obedient demeanor and words of praise for Rino made her smile. Because Rino knew what Ino was thinking, she saw Naruto through a filter, so she couldn''t help but feel even more pleased.


    Ino, on the other hand, was left standing to the side, watching as her mother led Naruto away.


    "Naruto, you¡¯re such a well-behaved child. Try the cocoa Auntie made for you. Do you like cocoa?"


    "It¡¯s my favorite. Thank you, Auntie."


    "Leave it to me." Rino''s tone suddenly became stern as she looked at Ino and said, "Ino, why don''t youe over here and learn properly."


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    "Inoichi."


    Rino called to her husband, who was standing awkwardly nearby with bags in hand, as she led Naruto and Ino upstairs.


    "Make sure to take good care of Naruto. I''m going to teach Ino how to make cocoa first."


    "Okay." Inoichi, who was carrying a lot of bags, responded with an awkward smile.


    "Hey, I already know how to make cocoa!"


    "Mom has a secret recipe that I want to teach you."


    "Eh? Does something like that really exist?"


    As the voices of the two women faded, Inoichi put down the bags and smiled as he made a cup of tea for Naruto.


    Naruto responded politely, addressing him as ¡®Uncle¡¯.


    Inoichi leaned back on the sofa, feeling a bit strange but also somewhat gratified. After exchanging a few words, their conversation shifted to Shikamaru.


    Inoichi has always had high hopes for Shikamaru since he was a child, but unfortunately. the two children are too familiar with each other and they didn''t have that kind of spark.


    ¡®The Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, huh?¡¯


    He nced at Naruto, who was sitting upright on the sofa under the bright light. In a brief sh, he remembered the terrifying scene he had witnessed from afar during a downpour.


    The enormous silhouette of a fearsome beast, barely visible through the rain and fog.


    The horrifying presence that seemed to crush the earth beneath it.


    No matter how hard he tried, it was difficult to associate the well-mannered boy sitting on the sofa with the terrifying Biju.


    ¡­


    Late at night.


    Ino escorted Naruto out of the shop, standing under the big green tree not far from the Yamanaka Flower Shop to say goodbye.


    "Hey, you did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?" Ino said through gritted teeth.


    "What did I do?" Naruto asked.


    "Don¡¯t y dumb! You''re the one who made me wear a maid outfit, and besides, you don¡¯t even like cocoa!"


    Ino nced around to make sure no one from the flower shop was watching before grabbing Naruto by the cor of his short-sleeved shirt, ring at him as she said contemptuously, "You drank the whole cup of cocoa! But the one I made for you¡­ you only took one sip."


    "I did say that I¡¯m the one asking you to wear the maid outfit, but Auntie didn¡¯t believe me." Naruto replied helplessly, "I do dislike cocoa, but under those circumstances, I had no choice but to drink it."


    "If you didn¡¯t want to drink it, you should have just refused! Why force yourself to drink something you don¡¯t like?"


    Ino put her hands on her hips and stared at Naruto with her deep blue eyes, as if trying to determine whether he was lying.


    Under the big tree.


    Naruto lifted his clear, bright eyes to meet hers without saying a word. He simply smiled.


    The street of Konoha seemed endless, with big trees scattered all around.


    The warmth of everyday life suddenly became more vivid, and even the old streetlights seemed younger.


    The lights shone just right, and as the night breeze brushed against her hair, Ino''s heart suddenly skipped a heavy beat.


    She thought to herself, ¡®Maybe, just maybe¡­¡¯

 Chapter 80 The Injured Hinata

    Chapter 80 The Injured Hinata


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    The next day.


    Naruto opened his eyes, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling for a moment before remembering that he had moved into a new apartment.


    He sat up groggily, surveying the dim room in silence. The apartment was eerily quiet, with no sound of knocking at the door.


    For reasons unknown, the higher-ups seemed to have refrained from restarting the Anbu¡¯s supervision procedures for the Jinchuriki.


    It felt as though someone had intentionally intervened.


    Kakashi didn¡¯t have the influence for something like this, and there was only one person left, who was closely rted to him, who could have pulled this off.


    ¡­


    "I am the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku. You little brat, what¡¯s with calling me a pervy sage all the time?"


    Jiraiya was lying on the rooftop, putting away his binocrs as he grumbled. He stood up and looked at Naruto with a slightly displeased expression.


    "I heard that you released the Kyubi a few days ago?"


    "Yeah."


    Naruto, wearing an orange hoodie with the hood up, stood on the rooftop, gazing into the distance as he casually responded.


    "I did."


    "You¡¯ve really got some nerve." Jiraiya said with interest, "Are you really that confident in yourself?"


    "But the higher-ups really can¡¯t do anything about you. Konoha has never had a perfect Jinchuriki before. You''ve given them hope. So even if you do something excessive, the higher-ups are willing to tolerate it."


    "Someone like me can be tolerated?" Naruto yawned, hands in his pockets, his eyes half-lidded as he looked at Jiraiya, "Pervy Sage, stop trying to fool kids."


    "I''m curious about how you did it. You''ve already met the Kyubi, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "So, how was it?" Jiraiya asked.


    "Nothing special, just an ordinary Biju." Naruto replied.


    "You¡¯re the only kid who could say something like that..." Jiraiya was speechless, then stared at Naruto for a few seconds before saying, "What do you mean by ¡®ordinary Biju¡¯?"


    Naruto didn¡¯t answer, staying silent for half a minute before asking, "Did you send the Anbu to find me just to ask about this?"


    "Not entirely." Jiraiya''s gaze focused on Naruto, "Naruto, follow me and train."


    "Don''t wanna."


    "What?" Jiraiya didn''t expect Naruto to refuse so straightforwardly, "Don''t you want to be stronger?"


    "I do."


    "I am the Toad Sage, one of the legendary Sannin!"


    "Don''t wanna."


    "Why not?"


    "No reason, I just don¡¯t want to train."


    Jiraiya was stunned by the response, blinking at Naruto in disbelief. He stared at him for a few seconds before saying, "How can you be stronger if you are sozy?"


    "I don''t know." Naruto replied bluntly, "I have no interest in such a troublesome thing as training. I¡¯d rather stay home, sleep, and read books."


    "Besides, if I be too strong, people will start to distrust me, or I¡¯ll be sent on some strange, dangerous missions."


    "That¡¯s quite the twisted logic¡­" Jiraiya sighed, "It''s okay for you to say it in front of me, but it''s best not to say such nonsense at the uing high-level meeting."


    "Since you don''t want to train, fine. But you still need toe with me to find someone. Once we find them, I won¡¯t force you to train anymore."


    "Whether we find them or not, I¡¯m not training."


    "I hold your surveince rights." Jiraiya said.


    "Who are we looking for?"


    Seeing Narutopromise, Jiraiya¡¯s expression softened a bit as he answered, "Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin and the future Godaime Hokage."


    "I''ve heard of her." Naruto nodded, " Why don¡¯t you be the Godaime Hokage, Pervy Sage? You¡¯re definitely capable."


    "You sure know a lot, kid." Jiraiya narrowed his eyes, "I heard you''ve been getting close to the Yamanaka n recently? Did you hear this from them?"


    "Something like that." Naruto said perfunctorily.


    "My destiny has long been determined." Jiraiya patted Naruto''s shoulder and turned around, striking a pose he thought was cool.


    "Kid, a true hero doesn¡¯t stay in one ce for long."


    "This is my Ninja Way!"


    "Uh-huh." Naruto replied, still wearing his deadpan expression.


    "Your attitude is so indifferent. Naruto, what¡¯s your Ninja Way?" Jiraiya asked.


    ¡°Living.¡±


    "Don¡¯t say such depressing things, kid. You¡¯re really a downer." Jiraiya pped Naruto on the shoulder a few times, "Forget it, the most important thing now is to find Tsunade."


    "The meeting to decide your fate ising up soon, and the Godaime Hokage will have a significant vote. Finding Tsunade is in your best interest."


    "Got it."


    "But you don''t have to worry too much. Although I don''t know how you got involved with the Yamanaka n, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio is always united, and the attitudes of the two Advisors are eptable."


    "Besides, I also have the voting right, hehe."


    Jiraiya set the departure for tomorrow morning.


    It was still early, so Naruto slowly wandered into an alley, nning to buy a few things. His new apartment was too empty, and there were many things he hadn¡¯t had time to purchase.


    Most of the furniture from the old apartment had been ruined by rainwater, and Naruto was toozy to move them.


    Halfway through the journey, something came to his mind.


    ¡®That girl Tayuya is probably still holed up in the abandoned building. Since I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow, I''d better take some time to go see her in the evening.¡¯


    The path was shadowed by trees and somewhat deserted. This road led either to a dead-end alley off Konoha¡¯s main street or to the Hyuga n¡¯spound via another fork.


    As Naruto wandered, he discovered the dead-end alley, which just happened to be close to 404 Konoha Street.


    He was lost in thought when he looked up and saw the back of a girl limping in the distance. She was a small figure with short hair, wearing long sleeves and pants. Naruto nced at her and quickly walked up, "What happened to you?"


    "¡­Nothing."


    Hinata was startled, but when she realized it was Naruto, her face instantly turned red. She stood frozen in ce, unable to move, with an embarrassed and anxious expression.


    "Did you sprain your ankle?"


    "No." Hinata quickly shook her head, not daring to look up at Naruto. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I can manage on my own, Naruto-kun, you don¡¯t need to worry about something like this."


    "What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" Naruto squatted down and gently rolled up Hinata¡¯s trouser legs, "You always try to be strong in the strangest situations."


    "Naruto-kun" Hinata¡¯s face flushed crimson, and her entire body trembled slightly, "No."


    "One of your legs is almost entirely bruised, and there¡¯s a five-centimeter scratch. Aren¡¯t you going to take care of it?" Naruto, still squatting, looked up, meeting Hinata¡¯s uneasy gaze.


    Hinata kept her head down, her face filled with worry.


    Naruto lightly touched the bruise and Hinata immediately let out a soft gasp.


    "Does it hurt?"


    "Huh? I..." Hinata nervously rubbed her hands together, her thumbs twisting around each other anxiously, "I can take care of it myself."


    "Um... Hinata."


    "What?"


    Naruto didn¡¯t stand up. He still remained crouched, then pointed upward at Hinata¡¯s fidgeting fingers.


    "Are you nning to form a hand seal against me?"


    "Ah, no!" Hinata quickly released her intertwined hands, awkwardly cing them behind her back.

 Chapter 81 No Forehead Protector, No Shinobi

    Chapter 81 No Forehead Protector, No Shinobi


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    "Wait for me here."


    With that said, Naruto suddenly dashed towards a wall. Hinata watched as he quickly scaled it, his palm pressing against the wall as he smoothly vaulted over it.


    Hinata was very flustered after being interrupted by Naruto, but she didn''t try to be stubborn anymore.


    Normally, Hinata wouldn''t wander off on her own.


    Naruto flipped over the wall and jumped onto a nearby rooftop. He maneuvered through the narrow gaps between staircases and soon reached the main street of Konoha. He quickly bought bandages and disinfectant, and also bought arge bag of swelling-reducing medicine.


    When he returned again, Hinata was indeed still standing there motionless.


    "Hinata, take off your leg wraps."


    "Huh?"


    Hinata was taken aback as soon as Naruto spoke.


    "Huh, what? Your leg is so swollen that the bandages are loose, and there are bruises underneath."


    Naruto shook therge bag of pain-relieving and anti-inmmatory medicine in his hand, "We need to treat the wound first. If we leave it like this, it won''t heal in two or three days."


    Despite her shyness, Hinata nodded.


    Naruto had recently grown a lot taller, possibly because he wasn''tcking food and wasn''t picky about it, so Hinata now only reached up to Naruto''s lips.


    Seeing her lower her head and stand on one leg like a crane, struggling to remove the bandage on her other injured leg, Naruto sighed and stepped forward to help Hinata sit on a nearby rock.


    "Naruto-kun, where did you get all of this?" Hinata''s eyes looked a little dazed.


    "I bought it. If you climb over that wall and go through a gap in the buildings, you''ll reach the main street of Konoha." Naruto pointed in the direction of the wall and said, "But there was a bit of an issue. The person didn''t want to sell it to me."


    "Ah, then how did you¡­?"


    "It was nothing."


    "I beat up the shopkeeper, and then he sold it to me."


    Hinata was stunned and said in a panic, " You''ll get in trouble! Shinobi aren''t supposed to hurt ordinary vigers."


    But Naruto looked seemed unconcerned and pointed to his smooth forehead, "I''m not wearing a forehead protector, so I''m not considered a Shinobi."


    "Besides, I''m not on a mission, so I''m just an ordinary viger."


    He took out the disinfectant and started unwrapping the bandages on Hinata''s leg. Her pants were also torn in several ces due to excessive training.


    "Your leg is badly swollen. Why did youe back alone? Where are Kiba and Shino?" Naruto asked.


    "There haven''t been any missionstely, so I went to train alone." Hinata replied, a bit embarrassed, "I identally fell down a slope."


    "You don''t need to push yourself so hard. Overtraining will only make it less efficient." Naruto said as he removed the bandage that was wrapped around her lower leg.


    He took out an emergency ice pack and ced it on the swollen area. Her sock was pulled down below her ankle. Contrary to what Hinata had said, her ankle wasn''t uninjured, instead, it was so swollen that she''d temporarily lost feeling in it.


    Her leg, which is usually smooth and fair, appeared unnaturally swollen, and the normally graceful curve was distorted by bruises and cuts from the stones.


    It was hard to imagine how Hinata had managed to walk back on her own.


    Naruto held the ice pack against her ankle and looked up as he reminded her with a natural expression.


    "Your injury is quite serious. We can only reduce the swelling for now. The Hyuga n should have Medical-nin, right? When you get home, you can have someone treat it properly so it doesn''t leave a scar."


    "Thank you, Naruto-kun."


    "Feeling any better?"


    "It doesn''t hurt as much anymore," Hinata said.


    Naruto stared at Hinata for a few seconds before suddenly asking with a strange expression on his face, "Is it because of the Chunin Exams that you''re training so hard?"


    Hinata''s eyes fluttered a few times as she instinctively tried to shake her head.


    "Be honest."


    "Yeah." Hinata hesitated before nodding slightly, "The gap between me and Neji-niisan is too big. The only person who could hold his own against him that time was you, Naruto-kun."


    ¡°I also want to work hard to aplish something.¡±


    "I¡­ I want to stand up on my own!"


    Sometimes, when someone is determined, a single sentence can make them shine brilliantly.


    The timid girl''s uneasy determination for life was more radiant than the sun. It is so bright that Naruto can''t look away immediately, as if he has seen the light of the world.


    Hinata regretted saying that as soon as the words left her mouth. She covered her face and felt a bit overwhelmed. It was a slip of the tongue, and she had no idea how she ended up revealing her true feelings.


    ¡®Ah, I''m going to die!¡¯


    ¡®How could I just blurt something like that out? Naruto-kun will probably misunderstand me.¡¯


    "Then, Hinata, keep it up. Just be more careful during your training next time." Naruto looked down as he applied the medicine, securing the bandages over her wounds.


    When he looked up again, his gaze met Hinata''s fluttering gaze.


    "I¡­"


    "Okay, let''s go, I''ll take you back."


    Hinata blinked and obviously understood what Naruto meant, which was to carry her back.


    In her current state, there was no way Naruto would leave her here or let her hobble back on one leg. Anyway, it wasn''t the first time he sent Hinata back, and he remembered the routepletely.


    "Do you really have to carry me on your back?" Hinata lowered her head.


    "Let¡¯s just make do for now." Naruto packed up the bag of swelling-reducing medicine and said, "There aren¡¯t many people on the street. If you''d prefer not to be carried on my back, I could always carry you with princess carry."


    "Then, I¡¯ll take the back." Hinata covered her face and whispered, "Sorry to trouble you, Naruto-kun."


    "It''s no trouble. I just happened to be around. But if you don¡¯t want to keep bothering me, remember to protect yourself during training."


    Naruto crouched down and Hinata carefully moved onto his back.


    ¡®Actually¡­ I''d like to bother you a few more times.¡¯ She thought a little selfishly.


    Hinata''s body was very light, perhaps because she restrained her appetite. Even through severalyers of clothing, Naruto could still feel that Hinata''s body was incredibly thin.


    Perhaps she was too shy, Hinata buried her face in Naruto''s back, not daring to look up. Her cold arms were wrapped around his neck, and with each step, a faint, sweet fragrance wafted up to him.


    "I''m leaving the vige tomorrow," Naruto suddenly spoke up.


    "Huh?" Hinata immediately tensed up, "Is it a mission?"


    "Something like that." Naruto wasn¡¯t sure how to exin it. After all, the mission to find the Godaime Hokage was technically unpaid but required secrecy. "I''ll probably be gone for a while."


    "Will it take long?"


    "It shouldn''t take too long, maybe half a month or a month or two."


    "Will it be dangerous?" Hinata asked quietly.


    ¡®Dangerous? Does the battle between Sannin count? Well, facing Orochimaru, who had killed two Kage, probably wasn¡¯t too dangerous if he¡¯d lost the use of his arms.¡¯


    Naruto thought for a moment and said, "It¡¯ll be very safe."


    There were not many people along the way, and the asional few he met were strangers. Naruto wasn¡¯t sure if Hinata knew them, but as long as he didn¡¯t, it didn¡¯t matter.


    When they arrived at the Hyuga n¡¯spound, Hinata came down with a blushing face. Her swaying eyes looked at Naruto as she softly said, "We ran into an acquaintance on the way."


    "Do you need me to exin the situation?" Naruto asked seriously.


    ¡°No no no!!!¡±


    Hinata¡¯s face turned even redder as she frantically waved her hands. If her leg wasn¡¯t injured, she would have turned and run as far as she could.

 Chapter 82 The Monster Under The Tower

    Chapter 82 The Monster Under The Tower


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    [Progress with Hinata, Kyubi¡¯s approval 19.8%]


    "Want me to take you in?"


    Naruto asked, pointing towards the inside of the Hyuga n¡¯spound. The clean, orderly streets and neatly arranged houses and courtyards gave off an air of dignity and solemnity.


    "I can manage."


    Hinata replied timidly, though a fleeting shadow passed through her eyes.


    "Then goodbye, Hinata. Take care."


    With that, Hinata bnced on one leg and bowed, her movements looked a little clumsy but very sincere.


    It didn''t take too much time to send Hinata back to Hyuga n¡¯spound. After returning to the main street of Konoha, Naruto found a ce to fill his stomach and then began arge-scale shopping spree.


    The new,rge household appliances would be delivered by the afternoon. With the payment settled, the service was prompt and courteous, all smiles from start to finish.


    After running around all afternoon, Naruto took a nap just before sunset. By the time he woke up, it was already dark.


    He took a shower, changed his clothes, and headed out. Walking from Konoha''s main street towards the old district, he bought some food and various other items along the way.


    Some of these were for himself, while others were for Tayuya. He nned to check if she was still alive. He didn''t n to help Tayuya, just feed her.


    Afterward, he bought kunai, Explosive Tags, and ninja swords, all the essentials.


    Using his usual method, Naruto entered the abandoned building. After searching through the dark floors, he finally found Tayuya huddled in a corner.


    She had hidden herself quite carefully, and there was no strange smell around, indicating that she had been eating and relieving herself elsewhere. The high vantage point allowed her to observe her surroundings better and prevent anyone from sneaking up on her.


    With Sandaime¡¯s death, Konoha had been on lockdown recently.


    The Anbu were stretched thin, so Root had stepped in to cover some positions, giving the vige a rather somber atmosphere.


    Konoha''s higher-ups are quite busy, and Danzo has been keeping a low profile. Konoha was focused on rebuilding and repairing, with vacant positions needing to be filled. The Land of Fire also needed to allocate funds to assist Konoha.


    There are only two major issues that have been put on hold for the time being.


    The first was the selection of the Godaime Hokage. The two advisors wanted to dy the decision, but if Tsunade could be brought back, they would strongly support her candidacy.


    The second issue is about how to deal with the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki. The higher-ups have different opinions, so a decision would have to wait until the Godaime Hokage took office.


    Naruto now stood as the lonely monster beneath the towering structure, covered in scales, awaiting judgment.


    The higher-ups, like gods, forced him into the sunlight, watching as the noble figures around the round table raised their hands to vote. What made him feel the most humiliated was their expectation that Naruto should love them like a loyal dog.


    As long as the Kyubi remained within Naruto, he would be seen as the Kyubi himself.


    However, the progress on the system''s mission was nearly one-fifthplete, which means that one day, even if Kyubi is separated from Naruto, he can still use Kyubi¡¯s power.


    He waited for the day toe when Kyubi would be free, as so would he.


    As for how the higher-ups would react to losing a Biju, that would no longer be his concern.


    One day, the gods would fall from their tower and be monsters themselves.


    Until then, he would continue to watch them, observe them, and one day drag them into the sunlight like dead rats.


    "How many days have you been starving?"


    ¡°Not lo-.¡±


    "Speak properly."


    "One day." Tayuya raised her head and smiled with a hint of contempt.


    "Really?" Naruto nced at her and pointed out, "Your Transformation Technique is so weak from hunger that it¡¯s wearing off."


    "Huh?"


    Tayuya was stunned for a second, then quickly raised her hand to touch her face. Her pupils dted in shock.


    "You¡¯ve seen my true face, so I can only ask you to die now."


    Hearing this, Naruto yawned and took out enough food from the seal space without paying any attention to what Tayuya said.


    "What good would killing me do you?"


    "Are you scared?"


    " ou can¡¯t beat me, so don¡¯t bother. If you keep this up, I¡¯ll tten the whole building, and then you¡¯ll have nowhere to hide."


    "Then for the sake of these foods, I''ll spare you until next time." Tayuya muttered.


    "I''m leaving now. Next time we meet, don''t die at my hands."


    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Tayuya took a bite of bread and red at Naruto, "You''re the one who should be worried! Next time, I¡¯ll definitely kill you!"


    Naruto didn''t say anything and left directly using Flying Thunder God Technique.


    "What a weirdo. Rich and dumb¡­"


    Tayuya grumbled in the darkness, tearing open another packet of bread, ¡°I¡¯ve never tried this before, it¡¯s a new taste.¡±


    Returning to his somewhat unfamiliar new home, Naruto copsed on the spacious living room sofa and fell asleep, probably due to running around so much during the day.


    When he opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.


    He hastily grabbed a bag and headed out. There wasn¡¯t much he needed to prepare, as everything he might need was stored in his seal space. The bag contained only some money and clothes, nothing more.


    Jiraiya, too, had a sealing scroll that allowed him to store items by summoning toads, so he doesn''t need to carry too many things.


    It¡¯s been three days since the start of their journey.


    While taking a break in a tea shop, Naruto suddenly heard a familiar ding in his mind. The mechanical, synthesized voice that he hadn¡¯t heard in a while spoke up again.


    The panel pops up before him.


    [Option 1: Find Tsunade and convince her to return to the vige to assume the position of Godaime Hokage. Reward: Tail Releasing Method (Harmless Version) Note: The Jinchuriki will not die due to the deprivation of the Biju.]


    [Option 2: Find Tsunade and stop her from returning to the vige to assume the position of Godaime Hokage. Reward: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken (Max Level)]


    Naruto silently sipped his tea, looking across at the drinking Jiraiya, and asked, "If Princess Tsunade doesn''t return to assume the position of Godaime Hokage, will you be summoned back by the vige¡¯s higher-ups, Pervy Sage?"


    "That¡¯s right." Jiraiya, already tipsy, reluctantly tore his eyes away from the waitress, "But there''s no way I¡¯m bing the Hokage. Who would do such a boring job?"


    "Then, Pervy Sage, you should work hard, and find Princess Tsunade as soon as possible."


    "Huh?" Jiraiya stood up and looked at Naruto drunkenly, "You should be more concerned about your own situation. If Tsunade acknowledges you¡­"


    "Oh, so you like Princess Tsunade?"


    "W-What? You... what nonsense are you talking about, brat!" Jiraiya deflected and scratched his head.


    "So you don¡¯t like her?"


    "That''s not true." Jiraiya mumbled to himself, clearly drunk, "Tsunade has always been beautiful."


    "Then, Pervy Sage, you must convince Princess Tsunade to return to the vige and be the Godaime Hokage."


    ¡°Why do I have to be the one to convince her?"


    "Because I¡¯m afraid of getting beaten up."


    Jiraiya sighed, "You brat¡­"


    "Since you both are Sannin, you¡¯ve known each other since you were kids, right." Naruto continued seriously, "No one understands Princess Tsunade better than you, right, Pervy Sage?"


    "You brat, you¡¯re not wrong." Jiraiya grinned, pouring himself another drink, "If we find Tsunade, I won¡¯t be dragged back to be the Hokage."


    Naruto¡¯s words were like a devil¡¯s whisper, luring Jiraiya into the abyss.


    Without the Talk-no-Jutsu, he had to resort to deception.

 Chapter 83 Too Introverted, So I Draw My Sword

    Chapter 83 Too Introverted, So I Draw My Sword


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    The next day, sunlight filled the room, and Jiraiya awoke with a clear head.


    The windows of the room had been opened early, and the ce where Naruto''s futon was supposed to be was empty, ¡®He must have gone out.¡¯


    In the now-empty room, Jiraiya leaned against the head of the bed with a calm expression.


    What you fear oftenes true. He couldn''t even remember thest time he saw Tsunade.


    The vige remained the same, but they had grown old.


    The moment he closed his eyes, all he could see were the death scenes of the people he cared about. His life should have been legendary, with both his master and the pupil being the Hokage, and all the disciples being excellent Shinobi.


    But, they are all dead.


    If he had another chance, maybe he could stop Orochimaru from straying down the wrong path, avoid being rejected by Tsunade, protect his master and his students, find a way to change the hatred-filled Shinobi World, and train the Child of Prophecy.


    Perhaps such a life would beplete,parable to the great achievements of all the previous Hokage.


    But everything from the past was like ashes, blown clean by the wind. Now, all he could do was reminisce through the haze of alcohol, enjoying brief moments of happiness in his dreams.


    The story of Jiraiya the Gant could hardly continue.


    ¡®What a failed life.¡¯


    Bang!


    The door suddenly opened from the outside, and Naruto walked in carrying lunch. He then called out, "Hey, Pervy Sage, are you awake?"


    "It''s time to eat."


    Jiraiya watched as Naruto, with a hint of concern, ced the lunch boxes on the table. His expression softened into a slightly relieved smile.


    "I didn''t expect you to be so considerate. No wonder you managed to win over the Yamanaka n¡¯s daughter."


    "Watch your words, Pervy Sage." Naruto said as he opened the boxes, and set out the dishes one by one on the table in front of the window. "You were drunk yesterday, so eat first."


    "I didn''t say anything weird yesterday, did I?" Jiraiya asked as he got up, putting on his slippers and heading to the bathroom.


    The room was simple, with only a basic bathroom and two nondescript twin beds. A single table, one chair, and a balcony were the only other features. The wallpaper was yellowed, and the outer walls were weathered, exuding a sense of cheapness.


    It''s not that the two of them were short of money, but Jiraiya insisted that a Shinobi¡¯s life should be frugal, so he had stubbornly chosen this inn, which was right next to a pleasure house.


    "Yesterday, Pervy Sage, you got drunk and insisted on going to the ce next door to y."


    "I can''t stop you, so I can only let you go."


    "What?" Jiraiya quickly opened his wallet, and then his expression turned even more horrified, "Why do I have an extra 3,000 ryo?"


    "Well¡­" Naruto scratched the back of his neck and smiled without answering.


    "Spill it!"


    "I got 3,000 ryo as my share." Naruto''s words made Jiraiya¡¯s face instantly go nk, "Actually, the total is 6,000 ryo."


    Jiraiya deted like a punctured balloon, lying motionless on the bed with a vacant expression.


    Seeing this, Naruto tried to console him, "Pervy Sage, it¡¯s not that big of a deal. Getting 6,000 ryo just for a push is actually a pretty good deal."


    "A push? What do you mean?" Jiraiya suddenly sat up from the bed.


    "You insisted on going to the pleasure house, and someone pushed you at the entrance¡­" Naruto started eating by himself, and said while eating, "You know, I''m a bit introverted."


    "Since I¡¯m not good at reasoning with people, I just put a sword to his neck."


    "Introvert?" Jiraiya was stunned.


    ¡®You call yourself introvert and yet you grabbed 6,000 ryo? This kid clearly doesn''t understand the three prohibitions for a Shinobi!¡¯


    However, after confirming that he did not exchange his body for the 3,000 ryo, Jiraiya felt relieved again. He counted the money again and then gestured to Naruto, "Kid, I will keep your 3,000 ryo for you."


    "No way." Naruto pped Jiraiya''s hand away and said, "Hurry up and eat, we still have to get going."


    "What a cheeky brat." Jiraiya reluctantly withdrew his hand, but there was a hint of smile on his face.


    Seeing the grin on Naruto''s face as he held his bowl, it was as if he was saying, ¡®No conscience means more profit.¡¯


    Jiraiya couldn''t help butugh heartily. The sun was shining brightly outside, and a gentle breeze blew through the open window.


    After they resumed their journey, Jiraiya brought up the idea of taking Naruto as his disciple.


    Naruto agreed without much fuss.


    However, when Jiraiya mentioned long-term training with him, Naruto outright refused. He wasn¡¯t interested in a life of hardship and wandering like Jiraiya. The legendary Sannin was a vagabond, but Naruto wasn¡¯t.


    As soon as he left home, Naruto began to miss his couch and bed, where he could sleep in every day. Although Konoha didn''t treat him well, they couldn¡¯t really do anything to him.


    If they wouldn¡¯t sell him something, he¡¯d just take it himself. After all, as long as he pays for them, it is not considered stealing.


    And if they absolutely refused, well, some beating might change their minds.


    As long as he didn¡¯t wear his forehead protector, he wasn¡¯t officially a Shinobi, and the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t bother him. He''ll just be fine. Anyway, he doesn''t need money now, he just wanted to enjoy life.


    He didn¡¯t want to train, he just wanted to take it easy.


    Even if he wasted his life, as long as hepleted the tasks given by the system and gradually grew stronger, that would be enough.


    Finally, Jiraiya had no choice but to suggest that Naruto should train Rasengan while they¡¯re looking for Tsunade. Naruto thought that he would be free when they are not traveling, so he simply agreed.


    But training wasn¡¯t easy, and Naruto wasn¡¯t as diligent as Jiraiya had hoped. Still, Naruto¡¯s attitude towards learning ninjutsu was decent enough, so Jiraiya turned a blind eye to his shorings.


    By nightfall, they had reached Tanzaku Town.


    "There''s definitely a trick to the Rasengan, right?" Naruto asked.


    "That''s something you have to figure out on your own. Stop being so annoying!" Jiraiya said impatiently.


    The bustling street was brightly lit, with plenty of shops, taverns, and gambling dens. Jiraiya led the way, his eyes darting around as he searched for a nearby pleasure house.


    "Why do you have to learn Ninjutsu on your own if you have someone with experience? It''s easy to go astray, right?" Naruto said with some dissatisfaction, "It¡¯s aplete waste of life."


    "What do you know, brat? Only when you figure it out yourself does it be your own Ninjutsu!" Jiraiya muttered, clearly distracted.


    Naruto was about to retort when he noticed Jiraiya suddenly quicken his pace, heading in a particr direction.


    Weaving through the crowded street, they moved towards a more secluded area.


    At the end of the street, outside a busy tavern, Jiraiya blocked the path of two women. From a distance, Naruto noticed that the tall, blonde woman in a green robe had a particrly eye-catching figure.


    Before Naruto could get a closer look, he noticed that Jiraiya''s gaze was gradually drifting downwards. Naruto¡¯s brows twitched slightly and he had a bad feeling in his heart.


    A sudden gust of night wind blew by, and with no warning, a swift, powerful punch sent Jiraiya flying.


    Tsunade''s eyes were fierce and extremely oppressive, "Brat, are you with him?"


    "I don''t know him."

 Chapter 84 Tsunade

    Chapter 84 Tsunade


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    Inside the Barat Tavern.


    "I''m sorry, Tsunade-sama."


    Naruto stood up and apologized sincerely, with a look of determination to reflect on his actions.


    Surprisingly, Tsunade didn¡¯t get angry, at least not because Naruto lied. She just gave Naruto a long, deep look, which made him feel a little uneasy.


    It was as if she had seen him before, and the look in her eyes was asplicated as an algebra problem.


    With practiced ease, she poured clear liquor into a cup. After taking a sip, Tsunade didn¡¯t even put the cup down before speaking, ¡°I already know about Sensei.¡±


    The atmosphere between Tsunade and Jiraiya was unusually heavy. Naruto silently ate his meal, and after finishing, he walked over to the counter, paid the bill, and headed out to wander around.


    This matter wasn¡¯t something he could get involved in, and there was no point in staying and listening in.


    Tsunade¡¯s gaze briefly flicked outside to Naruto, who wasn¡¯t wearing his forehead protector. Her eyes wereplicated and no one knew what she was thinking.


    "I¡¯m done ying."


    She tossed the cards onto the table, clearly irritated.


    "It''s been so long, and you''re still so willful, Tsunade." Jiraiya nced outside as well, not seeming particrly rushed, "It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to y cards, but the vige needs you to be the Godaime Hokage."


    "If you refuse, then that kid will probably..."


    "Jiraiya, don''t y such childish tricks." Tsunade poured herself another drink, " Who would care about that Kyubi brat?"


    "It''s about Nawaki," Jiraiya said as he took a bite of food.


    "Don''t mention Nawaki." Tsunade''s eyes shed with anger, "I have nothing left to lose. Betting my life for the vige is utterly foolish."


    "I''m really surprised to hear you say that." Jiraiya said.


    "It''s human nature." Tsunade continued to drink, her voicezy and her posture mature, "Orochimaru has gone crazy, Sensei is dead, and you¡¯re getting old."


    "As for the fact that Sensei died at Orochimaru¡¯s hands, I¡¯m not surprised at all. Orochimaru lost all his emotions, but Sensei still held onto some hope for him.¡±


    "After all, he was his most prized student." Jiraiya smiled self-deprecatingly.


    "No one wants that position." Tsunade, slightly drunk, pped her palm on the table before shifting the topic, "What¡¯s the deal with that kid you brought along?"


    "The Yondaime¡¯s son." Jiraiya downed a cup of sake, "He looks a lot like Nawaki, doesn''t he?"


    "I told you not to bring up Nawaki again." Tsunade was visibly annoyed.


    "Fine, I won¡¯t. Naruto was originally kept in the vige under the supervision of Sensei and the Anbu. I just returned recently." Jiraiya''s tone became serious.


    "Kyubi was released by Naruto."


    Tsunade''s gaze froze for a moment, but she said nothing.


    "This matter is somewhat rted to Uchiha Itachi, but it''s hard to say now because the situation is unclear." Jiraiya continued, "I originally thought that Naruto would grow up to be like the Yondaime, but now..."


    "Tsunade, at our age, there''s little left to lose. Some things can''t be changed, but some things can be changed."


    Tsunade, holding the sake pot, stared at Jiraiya for a long time.


    Finally, she stood up and staggered out the door.


    In the bustling streets of Tanzaku Town, Tsunade didn''t need to do anything but stand there to draw everyone''s attention.


    Her light blue robe, slightly loose due to her drunken state, failed to diminish her beauty, which could rival that of a twenty-year-old girl. Her slim waist and impressive figure,bined with her mature andmanding aura, made her the center of attention.


    Tsunade¡¯s eyes narrowed as if she was searching for something, and the naturally cute expression on her face created a stark contrast. Passersby were so mesmerized that one even walked straight into a utility pole, clutching his nose in pain.


    Even though her high and mighty image was somewhat shattered, no one dared approach this tall, stunning woman with a bust of 106.


    The night breeze blew gently.


    Tsunade leaped onto the rooftop and saw Naruto practicing the Rasengan with one hand.


    The Rasengan spun slowly but steadily, and Naruto was calm andposed, like he was ying with a new toy. He sat there quietly, watching the Rasengan spin without any expression.


    "It''s spinning too slowly, it doesn''t have any destructive power."


    Tsunade bluntlymented, her voiceced with drunkenness.


    "Training requires patience." Naruto retorted with Jiraiya¡¯s usual rhetoric. When he looked up and saw it was Tsunade, he immediately adopted a respectful demeanor.


    "That''s the Ninjutsu Jiraiya taught you, right?" Tsunade shifted her gaze away from Naruto.


    "More or less." Naruto stood up, bowing slightly to Tsunade, "Tsunade-sama, will you return to the vige and be the Godaime Hokage?"


    "Oh?" Tsunade didn''t answer directly. Instead, she leaned in slightly, her face flushed with alcohol, wearing a teasing expression, "Do you really want me to be the Godaime Hokage?"


    "Yes," Naruto replied honestly, "If you refused to be Hokage, Tsunade-sama, I¡¯ll probably end up locked away."


    "Why should I help you?" Tsunade chuckled and patted Naruto''s shoulder hard with one hand.


    "Tsunade-sama, I am the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, but I haven¡¯tmitted any crimes." Naruto said, "I didn''t have a choice before, but now, I just want to be a normal person."


    "And I haven''t offended you, so there¡¯s no need for you to¡­"


    "How do you know you haven''t offended me before?"


    Naruto: ¡°¡­¡±


    "What if I refuse?" She asked.


    "Then I''ll find a way myself." Naruto replied truthfully and sincerely, "No one wants to be a monster."


    At this point, Naruto paused and a smile appeared on his face, "I don''t care what the higher-ups think, but Konoha should be prepared to lose the Kyubi."


    "The vige has really failed if they¡¯ve driven a Jinchuriki to this point." Tsunade withdrew her hand and grumbled, "Going back isn¡¯t out of the question, but I need a few days to think."


    Naruto looked at Tsunade and simply said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."


    From the moment they met, Naruto had maintained a respectful attitude toward Tsunade. He didn¡¯t expect her to acknowledge the Will of Fire, as he didn¡¯t believe in it himself.


    Sincerity is the ultimate weapon, and everything he said was true.


    Even if Tsunade doesn''t take the position of Godaime Hokage, as long as Jiraiya was around, it won''t be Danzo''s turn to take the position. For Naruto, whether Tsunade takes the position of Godaime Hokage is only rted to the Tail Releasing Method.


    As for what Tsunade will choose, whether to confront Orochimaru alone or to return to the vige swiftly, he can only deal it one step at a time.


    Sometimes, preconceived notions can ruin things. Overthinking is useless, so Naruto decided to continue practicing the Rasengan.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Naruto slept the entire day at the inn, and when he woke up, it was already dark. Jiraiya wasn¡¯t around, but Naruto didn¡¯t mind. After washing up, he went downstairs to find something to eat.


    The 3,000 ryo earned by Jiraiya had not been spent yet, which was enough for him to eat sukiyaki, tempura, and ramen until he was full. After strolling around for a while, Naruto, who was about to return to the inn with snacks in his hand, was suddenly attracted by something.


    It was a dark shadow, or more precisely, a dark shadow huddled behind the tall gate of Tanzaku Town, where a sign with the town¡¯s name hung. The shadow sat there, with arge green robe pping in the night wind, looking oddly familiar.

 Chapter 85 Revealing Cards Ahead of Time

    Chapter 85 Revealing Cards Ahead of Time


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    ¡®Damn, it¡¯s definitely Tsunade.¡¯


    Naruto inwardly cursed his luck. It felt like he had just seen something he shouldn''t have, so he quickly looked away and turned away.


    "You little brat!! Ignoring me?"


    The dark shadow descended from the sky,nding heavily on the ground. The earth cracked like an eggshell, splitting open with a meter-long fissure.


    Tsunade, with her knees bent slightly, red at Naruto with a less-than-friendly expression.


    "I''m sorry, Tsunade-sama."


    Naruto immediately disyed his highly flexible moral bottom line. It doesn''t matter if he didn¡¯t know what he had done wrong, it was safer to apologize first.


    "You were nning to run away when you saw me, weren''t you?"


    Tsunade, in her high heels, elegantly kicked a nearby stone into pieces and then approached Naruto with a confident stride. She stood tall, squinting her eyes as she leaned in towards him.


    "Um¡­ my eyesight isn¡¯t great." Naruto quickly deflected, immediately offering the food he was carrying, "Tsunade-sama, please ept this gift as a token of my respect."


    After hearing what he said, the stormy expression on Tsunade''s face softened a little. She flicked her hair back and said, "Now that you mention it, I haven''t eaten anything yet, so I¡¯ll take you up on that offer."


    Naruto forced a smile, resigning himself to the situation.


    Anyway, these snacks were meant for Jiraiya, and maybe Jiraiya had already eaten. Besides, what else would he be doing in the middle of the night if he wasn¡¯t persuading Tsunade?


    The streets were deserted, and the surrounding lights were dim. A few curious people stood outside the still-lit shops, watching from a distance but not daring to approach.


    "Running into a brat like you in the middle of the night really kills the mood." Tsunade acted like a bully,pletely ignoring the stiff expression on Naruto''s face.


    "Yes, yes, but please, Tsunade-sama, would you consider returning to the vige to be the Godaime Hokage?" Naruto said with a helpless look.


    "Is that how you ask for a favor?" Tsunade asked.


    "If you really don¡¯t want to return, that¡¯s fine. I mean, if it gets too much, I¡¯ll just run away." Naruto yawned, "You don¡¯t have to go out of your way for me."


    "You are really brave to openly express your intention to defect in front of the Godaime."


    "Godaime?" Naruto asked confusedly.


    "Even though I¡¯m still considering it, once I return, I¡¯ll definitely be the Godaime Hokage. So, in a way, I¡¯m already the Godaime Hokage for now."


    "Is this how older women talk? It¡¯s so cunning." Naruto replied with deadpan eyes, "No, to be precise, this is aplete switch in logic."


    "Until you actually return to the vige, you¡¯re still just one of the Sannin, not the Godaime Hokage. That statement may be misleading, but I know convincing you to return isn¡¯t going to be easy."


    "Don¡¯t try to guess a woman¡¯s thoughts, you little brat. It¡¯s actually pretty funny hearing you talk so seriously." Tsunade said, poking Naruto¡¯s forehead with a bit of force.


    "Ouch!" Naruto hissed, clutching his forehead.


    Tsunade¡¯s face rxed into a smile. After finishing all the tempura and sukiyaki, she stuffed the empty takeout bag back into Naruto¡¯s hands.


    "Thanks for the meal."


    Naruto''s face twitched, ¡®I guess you could call it a favor.¡¯


    Unsure of how to respond, Naruto simply decided not to.


    "Brat, if you fully release the Kyubi, you will die, right?" Tsunade asked.


    "Probably." Naruto said, and then added, "Or maybe not. Who knows? You can''t really trust what others say about these things. You have to try it out yourself to be sure."


    "Talking like that¡­ Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying?"


    "There''s nothing to be afraid of. If the future is just going to be a bleak and ruined life as a prisoner, how''s that any different from being dead?" Naruto said with his hands spread out.


    "You really do harbor some deep hatred for the vige," Tsunade said.


    "It¡¯s not exactly hatred. Any normal person wouldn''t like that vige. If they want the Jinchuriki to protect the vige, they need to show the right attitude."


    Naruto¡¯s expression darkened.


    "I don''t really care that much. Bing a Jinchuriki for no apparent reason, maybe living my whole life without freedom, dying as just a weapon. If that¡¯s how it is, I could probably endure it."


    "Isn''t your tolerance limit a bit too broad?" Tsunade quipped.


    "But there should be somepensation, right? Constantly limiting the Jinchuriki¡­ I can¡¯t stand being a Shinobi like this." Naruto frowned and said, "If there¡¯s no benefit, I¡¯m just going to take it easy and do nothing."


    "You¡¯ve really got a lot of resentment." Tsunade said, but she didn¡¯t seem angry. Instead, she smiled and pinched Naruto''s cheek, finding his honesty refreshing.


    After all, hiding things would only make others cautious.


    "Are youying all your cards on the table with me?" Tsunade squinted her eyes as she looked at Naruto. "You are not a simple kid. You are way beyond what you should be thinking at your age."


    "You''re not the Godaime yet. If you¡¯re not nning to return to the vige, it doesn''t matter if I say a few more words, right?" Naruto replied, switching from the formal ¡®you¡¯ to a more casual tone.


    Tsunade noticed the change and curled her lips slightly, but didn''t say anything.


    "And if I do be the Godaime?"


    Tsunade ruffled Naruto''s hair. The height difference between the two was not obvious. In another year or two, Naruto would likely surpass her.


    "If you be the Godaime, then if I support you till death, Tsunade-sama. I should have some special privileges, right?" Naruto asked with a cheeky grin.


    "Maybe." Tsunade teased, her red lips parting slightly, "If you can convince me to go back, I can help you deal with any trouble you get into in the future."


    "That''s a deal."


    As she watched Naruto¡¯s retreating figure, the smile on Tsunade¡¯s face slowly faded.


    The dimly lit street of Tanzaku Town was reflected in her golden eyes. She knew that Orochimaru was lying to her. The dead couldn¡¯t be brought back to life. What would be resurrected would be just a corpse.


    But she still wanted to do something foolish, even if it was just one final fantasy.


    If Orochimaru lived, she would keep wanting to resurrect Nawaki and Dan. Only when Orochimaru died could she break that obsession. It wasn¡¯t the only way, but it was the best one.


    While Orochimaru''s arms are crippled, she could approach him alone and finish him off.


    On the rooftop, Naruto crouched in the shadows, nning to stay there for the night to avoid being knocked unconscious by Tsunade.


    The idea of <span>??killing Orochimaru with bare hands is simply immature.


    To be fair, how can Tsunade, who is afraid of blood, kill Orochimaru with one strike when even the Shinigami can''t kill him? Not to mention that Tsunade is afraid of blood now, so it is even more difficult for her to exert anybat power.


    This is almost a gamble with her life. If Tsunade takes the opportunity of giving treatment to get close to Orochimaru and failed to kill him in one strike, she will probably be in great danger.


    With this thought in mind, Naruto sighed and muttered to himself, ¡®Just hold on a bit longer. There is only one Kabuto beside Orochimaru. As long as I can obtain the Tail Releasing Method, I¡¯ll finally be free.¡¯

 Chapter 86 The Master of Breaking Defenses

    Chapter 86 The Master of Breaking Defenses


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    Fortunately, Naruto had enough sleep during the day, so he didn¡¯t feel sleepy even after staying up most of the night.


    Hiding quietly in the dark, Naruto dared not make a sound. It was not until the middle of the night when he heard a quarrel from the neighboring inn that he suddenly opened his eyes.


    Relying on his skills of climbing walls and climbing roofs that are more proficient than a peeper, Naruto slid down the nted roof with ease.


    As he approached the edge of the roof, he ttened himself against the wall like a puddle of water, using Chakra to minimize any sound.


    After crossing the balcony between two buildings, Naruto leaped and hung onto the window of another inn.


    Nothing in this world goes smoothly. It was all about careful nning. He had already mapped out the infiltration route a day earlier during his casual stroll.


    Quietly opening the window, Naruto slipped into the room.


    The lights were on in the room, but there was no sound. Tsunade''s personal secretary, Shizune, fainted on the futon.


    Kato Shizune is the niece of Kato Dan, who is known as cannon fodder version of Minato. Kato Dan pursued Tsunade but was not able to enjoy it before he died on the battlefield during the Second Shinobi World War.


    Whether it was due to some Shinobi¡¯s dark humor or deliberate revenge...


    The attack had been brutal and targeted, with Kato Dan''s entire kidney removed.


    It seemed to be another case of robbing beauty.


    Fortunately, Shizune was apliant person. Abducted by Tsunade since childhood, she had been shuffled through various casinos and kept as a maid. Years of hardship had made her exceptionally resilient to any situation.


    Naruto shook Shizune¡¯s limp form but got no response.


    As basin of cold water was poured on her face, Shizune jolted awake. She sat up straight from the futon and recognized Naruto at a nce.


    She didn''t care how Naruto got in, and quickly grabbed Naruto''s hand and spoke anxiously, "Quick! Where¡¯s Jiraiya-sama? Tsunade-sama went to find Orochimaru alone!"


    ¡­


    "He''s here."


    In a nearby tavern, Jiraiya was sprawled on a table, fast asleep.


    Shizune and Naruto exchanged looks. Naruto went over and nudged the sleeping Jiraiya, while Shizune dipped a finger in Jiraiya¡¯s sake ss and smelled it.


    "It looks like he won¡¯t wake up anytime soon." Naruto said.


    "It¡¯s a sleeping drug Tsunade-sama used." Shizune frowned, "At this point, we can only do what we can do."


    Naruto was horrified as he watched Shizune grit her teeth and pull out a scalpel.


    "Shizune-san, this could be dangerous, right?"


    "It¡¯s just to draw some blood to wake him up faster. There¡¯s no time to make an antidote." Shizune said anxiously, "Tsunade-sama is in danger. If we don¡¯t hurry¡­"


    Naruto was convinced and stepped out of the way, then nodded, ¡°Please increase the intensity.¡±


    After a while, Jiraiya woke up weakly, surveying his surroundings with a pale face.


    "Shizune, is that you?"


    "How did I end up here sleeping? I was just drinking with Tsunade¡­"


    Naruto remained silent on the side.


    After Tsunade had parted ways with him, she had gone to drug Jiraiya. It was still dark, and theoretically, if they rushed now, they might still make it in time.


    Shizune didn''t have time to exin further. She only urged, ¡°We need to leave now. We¡¯ll discuss the rest on the way.¡±


    Jiraiya, weakened from the drug Tsunade had given him and the bloodletting performed by Shizune, looked pale and exhausted as they rushed to the battlefield.


    "Hey, Pervy Sage, you¡¯re looking really pale?"


    "Shut up, you brat."


    "Pervy Sage, you are bleeding."


    "It''s just a minor injury." Jiraiya said, but he stopped mid-sentence, panting heavily and leaning against a tree, "You guys go first and leave a mark on the way." Jiraiya said while panting, "I don''t have much Chakra in my body, and I won¡¯t be able to help if I go now."


    "Hold on, and wait for me toe over."


    Shizune frowned, hesitated for a while, and then gritted her teeth and agreed.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Shizune, clutching the pig, Tonton, used her keen sense of smell to locate Tsunade¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°It¡¯s just ahead!¡±


    A loud rumbling sound was heard not far away. Without needing further exnation from Shizune, Naruto could tell the direction from the numerous craters Tsunade¡¯s fight had created on the in.


    "Tsunade-sama!!"


    Shizune rushed to the rescue, shooting poison needles from her wrist to drive away Kabuto, who was about to attack Tsunade. Tsunade''s body was stained with blood, and at this moment, she was sitting on the ground, trembling with a terrified expression on her face.


    ¡®Hemophobia.¡¯


    ¡®With such a troublesome condition, she still dare toe out and fight alone.¡¯


    Whileining in his heart, Naruto followed behind Shizune and pulled out the sword from the seal space. He wasn¡¯t used to kunai and preferred a sword. He¡¯s the holder of the belief, ¡®The longer the de, the stronger it was.¡¯


    It is known that a Samurai from the Land of Iron could interrupt a Shinobi¡¯s hand seals if they were fast enough.


    Naruto wasn¡¯t that fast yet, but he could still disrupt people¡¯s hand seals. So he drew his sword and without saying a word, he seamlessly followed the rhythm of the poison needles Shizune had fired.


    Not giving Kabuto a chance to breathe, Naruto struck with his sword like a crescent moon. Kabuto barely managed to block the strike with his kunai.


    Green Chakra was swirling in his other hand, which seemed to be the Chakra Scalpel Technique.


    This is an advanced Medical Ninjutsu that uses Chakra to transform into a scalpel capable of cutting through muscle and blood vessels without causing visible injury. However, even the most skilled Medical-nin couldn¡¯t cut deeply in the middle of a battle.


    The sharper the de, the thinner it was, and the more prone it was to breaking, so the user need to be more careful and focused.


    But Naruto wouldn¡¯t give Kabuto the chance. Strictly speaking, Kabuto is just using a blunt knife that can only cut the surfaceyers of muscle to incapacitate the target.


    "Kyubi."


    Through the gap in Naruto¡¯s raised arm, he saw Kabuto¡¯s mocking and sinister face. The round lenses of his sses reflected light slightly.


    During the Chunin Exams, Kabuto had tried to get close to Team 7, but was disrupted by Naruto. As a specialist in intelligence, Kabuto naturally knew about Naruto''s past and deliberately called him Kyubi to provoke Naruto.


    But Kabuto would never have expected that Naruto, a person from another world, is equally aware of Kabuto¡¯s background, and harbored ill intentions as well.


    Kabuto was originally an orphan, and waster adopted by the Konoha Orphanage. However, due to his congenital nearsightedness, Konoha had no money for sses to give an orphan.


    The sses on his face were given to him by the Orphanage¡¯s director and his most important guardian, Yakushi Nono. Later, that gentle woman died miserably at Kabuto¡¯s hands.


    What¡¯s even more heartbreaking is that until the end, Nono didn¡¯t recognize Kabuto.


    With nothing left to his name, the only thing Kabuto treasured was those sses.


    Naruto has no conscience, so he naturally will not let go of such a great opportunity. As they shed, Naruto¡¯s expression grew increasingly mocking, and his sarcasm was higher than that of Kabuto Yakushi.


    "Your sses are so ugly, Nono."


    Almost instantly, Kabuto''s defenses werepletely shattered, and the painful memories he wished to forget surged to the forefront of his mind.


    "Die!"


    The green Chakra Scalpel surged at this moment, and Kabuto almost went crazy.

 Chapter 87 Having Been Drenched by Rain, I Excel at Ruining Others’ Umbrellas

    Chapter 87 Having Been Drenched by Rain, I Excel at Ruining Others¡¯ Umbres


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    Seeing Kabuto¡¯s mental defenses break down, Naruto swiftly retreated, bending his knees to jump back three times in a row.


    Kabuto, sessfully provoked by Naruto, was nearly driven mad. At one point, he had a gentle light in his life, someone who was more important to him than even a mother, Yakushi Nono, the Orphanage¡¯s director.


    But he didn''t know that Nono was the former top intelligence gathering officer of the Root, known as the ¡®Wandering Miko¡¯. She had only be the Orphanage¡¯s director after withdrawing from the Root.


    Because Kabuto was too outstanding, he had caught the eye of Danzo at a very young age and was dragged into the Root.


    Nono could only learn about Kabuto¡¯s condition through photos as she was not allowed to see him in person.


    Danzo seized this w and started to make trouble. By slowly recing Kabuto¡¯s photos, he gradually erased Nono''s memory of the real Kabuto¡¯s appearance.


    In the end, Nonopletely mistook someone else for Kabuto, forgetting what the real Kabuto looked like.


    So when she received the mission to assassinate Kabuto Nono felt no emotional turmoil. She didn''t know how the real Kabuto looked like, and Kabuto also didn''t know that the person who assassinated him was Nono, so he killed her instead.


    Kabuto was originally an orphan who had lost his memories. It was Nono who had given him a name, warmth, and a sense of self. But in the end, Nono didn¡¯t recognize him, even at the moment of her death.


    Thest person in the world who remembered his existence died, and he lost his true self as well.


    "Nono doesn''t remember you at all. Isn''t that ironic? Your existence has no meaning, no one cares whether you live or die."


    As Naruto dodged Kabuto¡¯s attacks, he taunted him with a mocking expression, each word cutting deeper into Kabuto¡¯s heart. He had no intention of guiding people toward the light. Instead, every word was a silent, devastating blow.


    "Shut up!"


    Kabuto snarled with a ferocious look on his face, and the Chakra Scalpel in his hand gathered into a short whip, and he aggressively pursued Naruto.


    "You have nothing and nowhere to go."


    Naruto continued his verbal assault, moving more fluidly with each step, his sword strikes bing increasingly precise. Kabuto¡¯s attacks grew wild and uncoordinated as he desperately tried to kill Naruto, his sanity slipping away with each reckless strike.


    "Shut up!"


    The air rippled with warmth as Kabuto¡¯s Chakra Scalpel shed through it. Naruto knew better than to let his guard down. After all, a single hit could sever his tendons or ligaments.


    Kabuto¡¯s speed was overwhelming, forcing Naruto to abandon forming hand seals altogether.


    Naruto dodged step by step, continuously provoking Kabuto¡¯s nerves. Jiraiya hadn''t arrived yet, Tsunade had already lost herbat power, and Shizune couldn¡¯t handle Orochimaru on her own.


    "If you can¡¯t find your own identity, then just rob it from someone else!" Kabuto rolled over and swung a Chakra chainsaw-like at Naruto.


    "What a joke! Then go ahead and rob it!" Naruto shed at the chainsaw, bringing the two of them face to face once more. Through the narrow gap, they locked eyes, both gritting their teeth with menacing smiles.


    On the other side, Shizune had already started fighting with Orochimaru in order to protect Tsunade.


    Naruto silently prayed in his heart that the Pervy Sage woulde to the rescue quickly, all while missing the timely rescues that Sasuke used to deliver.


    "People like you, who have a name and identity, will never understand the despair of someone like me, who ispletely nk." Bloodshot suddenly appeared in Kabuto¡¯s eyes, and his gaze was vicious.


    "Uzumaki Naruto!" He panted heavily, like a wild beast, "Do you know what it feels like to kill yourself with your own hands? I am nothing."


    "Names are just marks, and sses are tools. You''re right! From the start, I was nothing, I had nothing!"


    "Heh." Naruto''s face was equally ferocious, "What disgusting nonsense are you spewing? If your life has no meaning, then just die already!"


    "You think I¡¯d feel sorry for you? I¡¯d kill you right now and spit on your grave. You think you''ve figured something out? If you have anything to say, save it for Nono!"


    But Nono was dead, so who could Kabuto possibly talk to?


    Kabuto didn''t know how Naruto knew all this, but at this moment, Kabuto had no time to think, as his anger had overwhelmed his reason.


    Naruto was fighting like a madman, showing no regard for consequences, as if he didn¡¯t care about the consequences.


    If he couldn''t have it, he¡¯d destroy it, no redemption, no mercy. In the life-and-death struggle, why should he care who was more pitiful? Only the living has the right to spit on their enemy¡¯s grave.


    Kabuto¡¯s life had beenpletely stolen by Danzo through despicable means. And until herst breath, Nono still believed that Kabuto was still living safely in Konoha.


    Death is a constant, and so is tragedy.


    But the world is not fake, the warmth of a loved one is real, and all Naruto wanted was to take it easy.


    So, he said the most venomous thing he could to Kabuto.


    "Have you ever wondered why it wasn¡¯t you who died that day?"


    With a roar, Kabuto broke downpletely, screaming in agony.


    "Shut up! I''m going to kill you!!"


    "KILL YOU, UZUMAKI NARUTO!!!"


    "Bring it on!!" Naruto¡¯s neck veins bulged as he shouted back, refusing to back down. Lava Release Chakra instantly covered his de, "Why did Nono raise something like you?"


    It was so dirty. Naruto once again demonstrated the most shining quality in Shinobi duels, his flexible moral bottom line.


    A child who has been drenched by rain is the best at ruining other people''s umbres.


    He knew exactly what could instantly crush a person¡¯s spirit, what could utterly destroy their beliefs.


    With his de engulfed in mes, Naruto charged at Kabuto like a young cheetah, and the moltenvapletely scorched the de red. Kabuto¡¯s Chakra Scalpel screeched as it aimed straight for Naruto¡¯s heart.


    But Naruto¡¯sbat instincts were astonishingly sharp. In an instant, it was as if the whole world slowed down. The sound of wind, the hum of Shizune¡¯s poison needles slicing through the air, the chakra scalpel, all of it seemed to be infinitely magnified in his eyes.


    In that split second, Naruto¡¯s leg muscles exploded with power, making him jerk violently like a leaf caught in a hurricane. Just like a movie tape being stuck, a ck and white picture shed by with a sizzling sound.


    The high-speed twitching allowed Naruto to miraculously dodge the Chakra Scalpel. He had already reached into Kabuto¡¯s side. Then, without any hesitation, he swung his molten de.


    Kabuto¡¯s pupils dted as the molten de sliced into his right ribs. Fortunately, he activated Yin Healing Wound Destruction just in time. Before his right side was attacked, he mobilized his cells to heal in advance.


    In this way, the cells that are constantly being destroyed and the cells that are constantly healing are intertwined together crazily, making it look like he was rapidly healing from his injuries.


    This Ninjutsu is simr to Tsunade''s Creation Rebirth and can be considered an exquisite Ninjutsu.


    At the same time, the de in Naruto''s hand could not withstand the high temperature and broke. Kabuto¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a wicked grin spread across his face as his Chakra Scalpel surged.


    In that instant¡­


    Naruto casually threw away the broken Ninja Sword in his hand. Then, while Kabuto almost doubted his own eyes, a brand new Ninja Sword suddenly appeared in his hand!!!

 Chapter 88 The Sword is Good, Now It’s Mine

    Chapter 88 The Sword is Good, Now It¡¯s Mine


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    Ayer of haze covered Naruto''s eyes, and a disdainful sneer appeared on his face.


    ¡®Poor Kabuto, you¡¯re utterly clueless about what it means to truly be wealthy.¡¯


    ¡®How much could a simple Ninja Sword cost? Of course, I¡¯d buy a hundred at a time, why settle for just one?¡¯


    Kabuto was stunned, feeling the situation outrageous!


    But Naruto didn¡¯t care. Living humbly is a challenging art in itself.


    Seizing the moment while Kabuto was still in shock, Naruto swiftly channeled his Lava Release into the de and swung another diagonal sh at Kabuto.


    He did consider stabbing Kabuto straight through the heart, as he would not show mercy to the enemy no matter what.


    However, if Kabuto dodges, the de might get stuck in his ribs and be difficult to pull out, not to mention his face might be covered in blood.


    Naruto abandoned that idea in an instant, opting instead for a diagonal sh. If he could severely injure Kabuto again, the battle would be nearly over, and he could always finish the jobter if he was not dead.


    With the agility of the swiftest cheetah, Naruto¡¯s body moved like a lightning bolt, the molten de zing white-hot as it cut through Kabuto¡¯s side.


    Drip, drip.


    Kabuto clutched his side as he staggered out of the smoke, blood dripping onto the ground. He had no choice but to swallow a blood-replenishing pill to replenish the blood he¡¯d lost in battle.


    The battle onlysted for a moment. Kabuto was already at the level of a Jonin. Although he was not as good as Kakashi or Guy, he was still young with great potential.


    An average person¡¯s talent was fully disyed in Kabuto, and handling a kid like Naruto should¡¯ve been easy.


    However, battle is all about seizing the moment and striking with precision. Naruto had the advantage, dodging Kabuto¡¯s attacks at high speed and boldly moving within Kabuto''s striking range. More importantly, Yakushi couldn''t figure out where Naruto got the new sword from.


    This time, he¡¯d really suffered a lot. His body was bing increasingly sluggish, and continuing the fight with the current condition seemed impossible.


    The dark red moltenva flowed along the de, and the Ninja Sword in Naruto''s hand revealed a golden color. The intense heat radiating from it suggested the sword was on the verge of breaking.


    The battle between the two hadsted no more than two minutes from start till now. From trading blows to exchanging insults, the oue of the battle was decided in just two minutes.


    Naruto had chosen the dirtiest tactics and the quickest way to fight.


    It is impossible for him to kill Kabuto immediately, meanwhile, Shizune on the other side was barely holding on. If Orochimaru doesn¡¯t die, he will have the means to save Kabuto.


    However, if Shizune and Tsunade died, they would really die for real. Continuing to tangle with Kabuto wasn¡¯t worth it, so when Naruto realized he couldn¡¯t deliver a fatal blow, he switched to dealing a heavy injury instead.


    With a scream, Shizune was kicked away by Orochimaru.


    Even without his hands, Orochimaru was still fierce, like a madman with nothing to lose. And he truly had nothing to fear. As an emotionless, ¡®immortal¡¯ being, he had almost no weaknesses.


    Shizune fell on the grass, blood oozing from her wounds.


    Orochimaru didn¡¯t bother with her anymore, instead opened his mouth to release a sword, then turned to face Naruto. Naruto almost got goosebumps all over his body, but he could only steel himself to fight.


    The slippery snake left Naruto with almost no time to think, and Kyubi¡¯s Chakra surrounded his entire body. His leg muscles tensed like those of a rabbit ready to spring.


    [Kyubi¡¯s approval: 19.8%]


    The sword in Naruto¡¯s hand shattered instantly upon contact with Orochimaru¡¯s snake sword, after all, the Kusanagi Sword was unbeatable.


    Naruto dodged and retreated, and Orochimaru smiled sinisterly and rushed straight towards the blood-phobic Tsunade.


    Upon seeing the blood, Tsunadepletely lost her ability to fight. She sat on the grass, trembling all over. It¡¯s as if she had be a different person, entirely consumed by overwhelming fear.


    Weak and helpless, she seemed like a frightened child.


    If Naruto didn¡¯t already know that Tsunade had a fear of blood, he might have thought she was just putting on an act.


    But seeing how Kabuto had been shaken mentally by his words, it wasn¡¯t too surprising that Tsunade would react this way.


    In that split second, Naruto realized it was toote to go to Tsunade¡¯s side. He stepped back, but Orochimaru was already heading toward Tsunade.


    Flying Thunder God: Second Stage!


    The kunai was thrown, moving so fast that it pierced through the air with a sharp, whistling sound.


    At this time, Jiraiya finally arrived, his voice sounding a bit strained.


    "Fire Release: me Bullet!"


    The Flying Thunder God Kunai arrived first. Orochimaru hadn¡¯t expected that the Yondaime¡¯s Flying Thunder God Technique would appear at this time. He was startled when Naruto suddenly appeared beside the kunai and tackled Tsunade to the ground.


    The Kusanagi Sword missed Tsunade, but instead pierced right through Naruto.


    The sudden, intense pain made Naruto realize that he had been struck by the Kusanagi Sword, a legendary weapon that no amount of money could buy.


    The severe shock caused Naruto to lose hisposure and he spat out a mouthful of blood on Tsunade''s chest.


    Jiraiya¡¯s me Bullet arrived a secondter, forcing Orochimaru, who was about to pull out the sword, to retreat several dozen meters.


    ¡°Ahhhh!!!¡±


    Tsunade screamed in terror as Naruto¡¯s blood sttered on her, and the scenes of her younger brothers, Nawaki and her lover, Dan¡¯s deaths shed through her mind. She recalled the desperate rain-soaked nights when the bleeding could not be stopped no matter what she did.


    "Naruto!"


    Jiraiya¡¯s pupils dted, but Orochimaru blocked his path, and Kabuto, looking slightly recovered, jumped back to Orochimaru¡¯s side.


    As for whether he has recovered from the mental shock caused Naruto¡¯s verbal attacks, it is unknown.


    Tsunade watched in horror as Narutoy in her arms, her pupils widening in shock at the sight of the blood. She screamed, her mind breaking down, her body trembling, her face contorted with fear and helplessness.


    Suddenly, the seriously injured Naruto raised his bloodied hand and, without warning, wiped it across Tsunade¡¯s face.


    Tsunade was stunned. Naruto coughed violently, using all his strength to lean toward her ear. This scene of him whispering hisst words was eerily familiar, pushing Tsunade to the brink of copse.


    However¡­


    Naruto¡¯s hand slipped from her face to her neck. He used all his strength to pull Tsunade over, and then said with a weak and dying look on his face, "Tsunade-sama, I... I¡¯ve never... asked you for anything."


    "Stop talking! Please, stop!" Tsunade copsed and cried, her tears started falling, "Why did you do this? How could you be so stupid?!"


    Naruto''s breathing became more rapid. He clutched Tsunade tightly, his eyes almost bulging out, and he shouted hoarsely like an old man who was about to die, "Quick... pull out... pull out the sword."


    "Now... it... it¡¯s mine!"


    Tsunade froze as she stared nkly at Naruto. Tears streamed down her porcin-like cheeks, dripping from her chin into Naruto¡¯s eyes, and she burst into tears.


    Naruto didn¡¯t understand why Tsunade was crying, but he knew he couldn¡¯t lose the Kusanagi Sword. He wanted to shout again, ¡®Hurry and pull out the sword! If you don¡¯t, Orochimaru is going to steal it!¡¯


    ¡®The sword is good, now it''s mine!¡¯


    Tsunade held Naruto and cried uncontrobly. Naruto¡¯s mouth opened slightly, his eyes dim, silently mouthing the words.


    ¡®Pull out the sword!¡¯

 Chapter 89 Where’s The Sword?

    Chapter 89 Where¡¯s The Sword?


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    Tsunade hugged him and cried hysterically. Naruto''s consciousness grew increasingly hazy, and his eyelids became heavier. However, with the Kyubi keeping him alive, he wasn''t worried about dying.


    But he couldn''t speak now, and it was driving him crazy!


    ¡®Pull out the sword!!! Damn it!!!¡¯


    Naruto passed out from the pain, and when he woke up again, it was already nighttime.


    [The Tail Releasing Method was sessfully granted.]


    His chest throbbed faintly. The ceiling looked unfamiliar. It¡¯s not a hospital, nor was it Konoha. He fully opened his eyes and saw Shizune asleep at his bedside.


    ¡®It seemed we are in the inn.¡¯


    He silently sat up, turned his head to both sides, and touched his chest, however, the Kusanagi Sword was nowhere to be found.


    Shizune was awakened by the noise. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, only to find that Naruto had woken up, but his face was extremely grim, like someone who had lost everything.


    "Naruto, you¡¯re awake?" Shizune walked over and ced her cool hand on his forehead, "Please don¡¯t move around too much. It will take some time for the wound to heal."


    "Shizune-san, where¡¯s the sword?" Naruto asked with hopelessness.


    "Sword?"


    "The big sword!" Naruto gestured at his chest, "The big sword that was stuck in my chest."


    Shizune, the eternally youthful beauty in ck stockings, instantly understood. Her face broke into a soft, maid-like professional smile as she replied, "I''m sorry, it was taken away by Tsunade-sama."


    "What!!! How could she¡­!!" Naruto stopped himself from courting death, "¡­be so humorous."


    "Shizune-san, Tsunade-sama must be teasing me, right? She will definitely return the sword to me, right?"


    "Well¡­" Shizune showed an awkward smile on her face.


    Seeing this, Naruto''s face instantly fell.


    "Where''s the sword?" Naruto cornered Tsunade in a small tavern.


    "What sword?" Tsunade, drunk and swaying, pouted, her clothes half revealed, "What the hell are you talking about, you little brat?"


    "The sword! The one in my chest!"


    Naruto was so anxious that he didn''t even want to look at her cleavage, and was practically pressing his face against Tsunade¡¯s.


    "Get a grip, old woman!"


    In an instant, the air around them dropped to freezing point. Tsunade''s face turned fierce and her eyes glowed red with fury.


    "What did you just call me?"


    "Hokage-sama." Naruto said bluntly, and straightened his position for a second, but soon he couldn''t hold it anymore, "Where''s the sword? Where''s my big sword?"


    "That thing... is too dangerous." Tsunade slurred drunkenly, "How could I possibly give it to an unreliable brat like you?"


    "Huh? What?" Naruto was baffled. He sat down across from Tsunade and asked, "Tsunade-sama, who blocked the sword for you?"


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    "Don''t dodge the question, damn it!"


    "I suppose it was you." Tsunade frowned, biting her finger with an extremely reluctant expression.


    "What do you mean, suppose?! It was me!" Naruto''s face was full of resentment, "I blocked the sword for you at that time, and that sword pierced through my chest, right here."


    Naruto chattered incessantly as he recounted the events, clearly showing how much he desired the Kusanagi Sword.


    "See, I was like this¡­" Naruto retracted the hand that was gesturing toward his chest and muttered, "Anyway, you have to give it to me. The sword pierced my body, so that means it''s mine now."


    "Giving it back to you isn''t... impossible." Tsunade drank another cup, her face flushed, "But that depends... on your future performance."


    Naruto''s face was filled with dejection, and he was impressed by Tsunade''s equally low moral bottom line. Neither of them were saints, and theirbined cunning could fill a thousand minds.


    But there wasn''t much he could do now. In a sense, Tsunade was already the Godaime Hokage, his direct superior.


    And he is just an ordinary Biju¡¯s Jinchuriki, and he will also have to rely on Tsunade to protect him in the uing high-level meeting. In other words, Naruto would have to listen to this evil woman from now on.


    Although it annoyed him, for now, he had no choice but to let Tsunade have her way. He was so angry that he was trembling with fear. He wondered when a Jinchuriki would ever truly stand tall.


    ¡®When the process of extracting Kyubi¡¯s power wasplete, I could use the Tail Releasing Method.¡¯


    ¡®When the timees, I¡¯ll make this old womane to me holding the Kusanagi sword and beg me to get the Kyubi back. But, of course, only a fool would care who took the Kyubi.¡¯


    "Here."


    Tsunade suddenly thrusted a warm object into Naruto''s hand and downed another drink.


    "What is ??" Naruto scratched his head, feeling confused.


    He opened his palm to reveal a metal pendant ne, which had once belonged to the Shodaime Hokage and was Tsunade¡¯s most treasured possession.


    "Why does it smell like milk?" Naruto sniffed, but before he could investigate further, Tsunade punched him onto the table angrily.


    "You want to die, brat?!"


    "It hurts, it hurts! I''m going to die! My wound is reopening!" Naruto¡¯s cries echoed through the tavern, only to be quickly muffled by Tsunade, who pulled him into her chest.


    "Why are you shouting?" Tsunade was slightly annoyed and muttered in a low voice, "Believe it or not, I can tear open your wound and heal it again!"


    Naruto didn''t dare to release a sound anymore. He knew that this woman was really capable of doing such a thing. In fact, older single strong women were all terrifying in their own ways.


    To make matters worse, Tsunade was clearly drunk right now. Looking at the sake bottles on the table, Naruto had no doubt that Tsunade had been drinking alone from morning till now.


    "Come! Have a drink too." Tsunade, reeking of alcohol, shoved a cup of sake into Naruto''s face.


    "I don¡¯t drink. The three prohibitions for Shinobi, I¡¯m a... mmmph!! Cough cough!!"


    "What''s the big deal? A little drink won''t hurt you." Tsunade drunkenly poured the sake into Naruto''s mouth, "Don¡¯t be so rigid. It¡¯s good stuff."


    "I''ll drink it myself, I¡¯ll drink it myself!!"


    Naruto quickly pleaded, realizing Tsunade was aplete drunkard. If she kept forcing it down his throat, he¡¯d choke to death.


    "Hah, how much can a little brat like you drink?" Tsunadeughed drunkenly, then pulled Naruto into her arms, intent on making him drink.


    "Mmmph! I¡­"


    Naruto tried to protest again, but waspletely overwhelmed, nearly suffocating. The mix of perfume and alcohol in her embrace quickly turned into the smell of vomit.


    "Ugh!!!" Naruto knelt outside the tavern, vomiting violently. It was already dark outside.


    The streets were crowded with people and the lights flickered like a flowing river. Tsunade stood aside and watched the fun with a heartyugh. She leaned over and patted Naruto on the back and said with a bright smile, "You¡¯re so weak, brat."


    "Ugh!!" Naruto didn''t drink the sake, but vomited because Tsunade held him. He looked up with a pale face and suddenly grabbed Tsunade''s wrist.


    Naruto may be the only one in Konoha who was tormented by the Godaime Hokage.


    Gripping Tsunade¡¯s wrist, Naruto, still not giving up, asked, "Where''s the sword?"

 Chapter 90 The Menace Who Brings a Sword to The Door

    Chapter 90 The Menace Who Brings a Sword to The Door


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    Tsunade paused, then crouched beside Naruto, and said with a frivolous smile, "It depends on your performance in the future."


    "You said you would support me to be the fifth Hokage. Now that I have epted your promise, you must also keep your promise."


    Hearing this, Naruto let go of Tsunade¡¯s wrist and struggled to stand up.


    The lights from the shops lining the Tanzaku Town¡¯s night market cast thread-like beams, creating a dim glow at Naruto''s feet. The night breeze made him feel a bit more clear-headed.


    "This is too much. How can a Hokage do something like this?"


    "It''s very possible." Tsunadeughed.


    As she spoke, she too stood up, herrge green robe emzoned with the word ¡®Gamble¡¯ gently swaying in the night breeze.


    "The alcohol¡¯s worn off, it¡¯s time to head back."


    "That¡­" Naruto coughed and said, "Tsunade-sama, are you saying goodbye to the memories of the past? Though I don¡¯t fully understand, I think that bad memories are painful, whether you want to remember them or not, just keeping them in your mind hurts."


    "You little brat." Tsunade chuckled, giving Naruto a light tap on the head, "No matter how painful the past memories are, you can¡¯t just let go of them. If you let go of the past, you''ll have nothing left."


    Naruto knew better than to continue the topic. If someone is covering their wound and you forcibly uncover it, you¡¯re not helping them. Instead, you¡¯re stabbing them again.


    "Tsunade-sama, you¡¯re already the Godaime Hokage, and the affairs of the vige are still very busy." Naruto said, finally speaking something sensible, "The end of one era is also the beginning of another."


    "Yeah." Tsunade responded, her voice tinged with a bit of mncholy, "The vige was my grandfather¡¯s legacy, and I¡¯ll have to pass on the responsibility of protecting it to the next generation."


    "The Shinobi World is not peaceful either, with frequent wars and countless people freeze or starve to death." Naruto said, "It is really not easy to understand the world. The way of life is what people desire, and the world is every de of grass and every tree in the vige."


    "You¡¯re saying that again..." Tsunade suddenlyughed, rubbing Naruto¡¯s face as she asked, "You are quite thoughtful, what¡¯s on your mind now?"


    "I haven''t thought about anything. While I hope Tsunade-sama bes the Godaime Hokage, I personally have no desire to be Hokage." Naruto murmured.


    "I just hope that you can speak a few more words for me at the high-level meetingter, Tsunade-sama, so that I don¡¯t end up with my freedom restricted."


    "Don''t worry, those old geezers can¡¯t do anything to you." Tsunade said, increasing the pressure in her grip, "I will protect you, and I won''t restrict your freedom."


    "I am very happy that you are so open with me."


    "The power of the Biju is too strong. I actually don¡¯t have many people to talk to in the vige." Naruto said, "I am also very happy to be able to help you, Tsunade-sama."


    "Then perform well." Tsunade smiled and leaned over to kiss Naruto on the cheek, "And I¡¯ll return the sword to you."


    ¡­


    It took almost a month from the time Naruto and Jiraiya departed.


    Tsunade did as she said and returned to Konoha to officially assume the position of the Godaime Hokage.


    On the day they returned to the vige, Naruto was sandwiched between Tsunade on one side and Jiraiya on the other. The return of two of the legendary Sannin immediately caused a hugemotion in the vige.


    As the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage, a legendary Medical-nin, and the future Godaime Hokage, everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of Tsunade.


    Konoha¡¯s streets were packed with people, which was exactly the effect the two Advisors wanted. They had spread the news far and wide before Tsunade¡¯s return.


    Tsunade is not only the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage, but also one of the Sannin, a disciple of the Sandaime Hokage, and a powerful Medical-nin. If Tsunade doesn''t be Hokage, who else can be qualified to sit on that position?


    Danzo might have been grinding his teeth in frustration, but there was no way he could take the Hokage¡¯s position from Tsunade.


    This was the will of the people. Everyone believes that the granddaughter of the Shodaime Hokage will bring hope to the vige.


    And so, Naruto, the so-called ¡®cursed child¡¯, was paraded through the streets by Tsunade. From the Konoha Gate to Konoha Street, and then from Konoha Street to the Hokage Tower.


    Under the high tform of the Hokage Tower, a crowd of Shinobi and vigers gathered, looking up at the newly appointed Godaime Hokage.


    Naruto wanted to escape, but was quickly pulled back by Tsunade.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Tsunade frowned, grabbing his ear, "Just stand here properly until the ceremony is over, then you can go wherever you want."


    "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one bing Hokage, why do I have to¡­¡±


    "Sorry, the wind was too strong, so I didn''t hear you clearly just now." Tsunade¡¯s face darkened, her eyes zing with a menacing red that seemed capable of pulverizing Naruto with a single punch.


    "My apologies! I swear allegiance to Tsunade-sama!" Naruto immediately stood up straight and dered.


    "You''re such a sweet talker." Tsunade¡¯s attitude shifted in an instant. She smiled warmly and put the Hokage¡¯s hat on her head, the symbol of her new position.


    Behind him were the two Advisors and Jiraiya, along with the pro-Sandaime factions, all in full support of Tsunade. The event was a grand affair, attended by the ns of Ino-Shika-Cho, the Hyuga n, the Aburame and Inuzuka ns, and the Anbu Commander.


    Naruto yawned and stood closest to Tsunade, listening to Tsunade announce amid the cheers of everyone that from now on she would manage the Konoha Vige.


    The process was really boring, but the vigers'' thunderous cheers were indeed mixed with their longing for the future.


    Tsunade¡¯s return was like a shot of adrenaline for Konoha, which is still recovering from the attack.


    As they say, the will of the people is what truly matters. Some people just need to stand there, and everyone will flock to them with admiration.


    Tsunade was one of those people.


    She had gambled her whole life and lost it all. From beginning to end, her entire life had been a string of defeats. However, if she could win just once in her lifetime, it would be enough.


    Naruto watched the strong-willed woman waving at him amidst the cheers, and suddenly felt a surge ofplex emotions.


    After returning home, Naruto washed up silently, theny naked on the sofa while still wrapped in a bath towel, staring nkly.


    After a month-long mission, he found himself at a loss for what to do.


    ¡®As expected, I still have to continue my previous routine. If there are missions, I will do them. If there are no missions, I will do nothing. The high-level meeting will most likely be cancelled, so I don¡¯t need to pay attention to it anymore.¡¯


    Staring at the white ceiling, for some reason, Naruto suddenly craved a cup of cocoa.


    Maybe it was because he hadn¡¯t had it in a while. Actually, he didn''t really like cocoa, but he just wanted to see if there was any difference between the cocoa Ino made and the one he could make himself.


    Idle thoughts easily filled his mind, proving that he wasn¡¯t as busy as he thought.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    The abrupt sound of knocking startled Naruto, making him instinctively roll over and grab his sword.


    After being stunned for a long while, he shook his head violently, chastising himself for being so paranoid, as thinking about Itachi had made him overly cautious. This was Konoha, a vige with good public security, so there was no need to be so cautious.


    Click.


    The door opened.


    Ino stood there, dressed in a light, casual shirt, likely because she wasn¡¯t on a mission. Her softly curled blonde hair was casually pinned up, giving her an intellectual yet cute appearance.


    It looked like she had applied something on her lips, a soft, pinkish shine making them appear moist and inviting. The skin on her neck was unbelievably smooth. The moment she opened the door, a faint, pleasant fragrance wafted from her.


    She blinked at Naruto, who was only wrapped in a white towel, and asked, "Why are you holding a sword?"

 Chapter 91 Apron is Great Too

    Chapter 91 Apron is Great Too


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    "I got scared by Uchiha Itachi."


    Naruto spoke honestly as he skillfully twirled his sword before slowly sheathing it with a click.


    "Here, my mother asked me to send this to you."


    Ino took out a bag of food from behind her back, her expression somewhat unnatural.


    "If you didn¡¯t like it, you shouldn¡¯t have said so. You mentionedst time that you liked it, and my mother took it seriously. When she heard you were back, she insisted I bring it to you."


    "I wasn¡¯t lying. Please thank Auntie for me." Naruto casually hung his sword on the wall by the entrance, then turned around and saidzily, "I¡¯m going to put on some clothes. Make yourselffortable."


    Ino pursed her lips, showing a hint of dissatisfaction. She then lightly stepped into the entryway, her hands behind her back.


    She leaned against the wall and began taking off her shoes, revealing her smooth, baster ankles. Her delicate feet stepped firmly onto the floor as Naruto, now dressed, emerged from his room without ncing at Ino, yawning as he headed to the kitchen to boil some water.


    The apartment Naruto had moved into this time was much more spacious than his old, rundown one. The decor was far more refined, and all the furniture and appliances were top-of-the-line.


    "Just got back?" Ino leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching Naruto tiredly open the refrigerator and prepare to cook.


    Sunlight streamed in through therge, south-facing windows, filling the clean and tidy living room, crossing over the sofa, and falling onto Ino¡¯s neatly positioned legs.


    Her smooth, white calves were wless, and the firm and tender tight are clearly visible.


    "Yeah."


    Naruto turned on the electric kettle with a click, then leanedzily against the marble counter, ncing at Ino before his gaze settled on her legs.


    Ino''s face twitched, and her originally proper smile gradually became unsustainable.


    "Where are you looking at?"


    "Your legs." Naruto answered with a yawn.


    Naruto originally thought that Ino would look at him with contempt and then make sarcastic retort. But instead, her face flushed, and she seemed utterly flustered.


    "You''re not thinking of anything weird, are you?"


    "Absolutely not." Naruto denied tly.


    "Not that I¡¯d mind being the object of a fantasy." Inoughed awkwardly, her eyes darting around, "Usually, guys your age start bing perverts, right?"


    Even though she said something so outrageous, her face was still unmistakably red. It was not difficult to see that Ino was just trying her best to hide her embarrassment and was just trying to act tough.


    "I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about." Naruto¡¯s expression became dull, then he pointed at Ino¡¯s outfit and asked, "But what¡¯s up with what you¡¯re wearing?"


    "My outfit? What¡¯s wrong with it?" Ino blinked rapidly, her expression turning adorably confused as she answered the question irrelevantly, ¡°So, uh, what¡¯s for lunch?"


    "Is it omurice again?"


    "Hey¡­"


    "I had itst time, so maybe try something different this time."


    "Hello¡­"


    "And also, um¡­" Ino suddenly turned away and flopped onto the sofa, staying silent.


    "Strange."


    Naruto nced at the ingredients and then at Ino lying on the sofa. He felt like he shouldn¡¯t be standing in the kitchen, but rather lying on the sofa too.


    "Ino."


    Hearing the voiceing from right next to her, Ino froze for a moment, and quickly lifted her head, only to find herself nose-to-nose with his dead-fish eyes. The distance between the tips of their noses was only about the length of a finger, and their eyes locked.


    "Ah!!" Ino let out a scream, then her face turnedpletely red. She buried her face in the sofa and begged in a muffled voice, "Stop asking, please stop asking."


    "Okay, I won¡¯t ask." Naruto plopped down on the other side of the sofa, his entire demeanor instantly transforming into that of a dried-up sardine, lifeless and drained of energy.


    "Ino, I''ll leave the cooking to you."


    "I was badly injured outside, got a hole through my chest. It''s not fully healed yet."


    Hearing this, Ino was stunned, then she sat up and nervously crawled over to him. She stared at Naruto''s closed eyes, and her golden hair brushed against his face, tickling him slightly.


    Naruto opened his eyes, and their gazes locked once more.


    Ino''s face gradually turned red, the blush spreading all the way to her neck. Her warm breath touched his face, and she awkwardly straightened up, looking away as she hastily tucked her hair behind her ear.


    "I want to see the wound."


    Naruto, not wanting to cook, lifted his shirt without hesitation, revealing a slightly terrifying scar was visible on his chest, though it had already scabbed over and was nearly healed, it still looked scary.


    "How did you get it?" Ino was really startled. She gently touched the scar and asked carefully, "Does it hurt?"


    "If you¡¯re asking like that, then yes, it does."


    "That''s not how you answer!"


    Ino''s attention was entirely on the scar, while Naruto, feeling sleepy, barely kept his eyes open,pletely unaware that Ino was almost sitting on top of him.


    A cool summer breeze passed through the window, and the next moment, Naruto had dozed off on the sofa.


    Ino remained leaning over him, her pupils dting slightly. Even though they weren¡¯t physically touching, her heart began to race inexplicably, as if a storm was brewing within her.


    She stood up and walked silently to the kitchen, almost wondering if her brain was malfunctioning.


    ¡°Ahhhh!!¡±


    "Die, you jerk!"


    Boom!


    The sound of a kitchen knife hitting the cutting board echoed as Naruto slept soundly on the sofa near the balcony. The wind chime jingled softly. Ino leaned against the kitchen doorway, biting her lip in a daze.


    The cicadas¡¯ summer chorus continued, but their noise no longer reached the girl¡¯s ears.


    Naruto fell into a deep sleep, his consciousness sinking into the seal space.


    The mountain-sized Kyubi was curled up within the red bar, watching something on the DVD yer. When he noticed Naruto¡¯s arrival, he didn¡¯t even blink.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I fell asleep and ended up here." Naruto sighed, "What? Not happy to see me?"


    Kyubi said nothing, merely performing a very human-like gesture.


    "Ptui!"


    Naruto suddenly snapped awake, sitting upright on the sofa. His consciousness was kicked out of the seal space by gesture. That time, Itachi''s Amaterasu had struck Kyubi, and it was not until he escaped back to the seal space that he was safe.


    Previously, Kyubi had also forcibly extended Naruto''s life when he was near death, which was considered to be the most he could do.


    "Awake?" Ino¡¯s voice called from the kitchen.


    Momentster, Ino, now wearing a light blue apron, emerged from the kitchen with a steaming hot stone pot. Her hair was different from usual, as it was loosely draped over her shoulders.


    "What are you staring at? Wash your hands and get ready to eat."


    Ino, unaware of how she looked, stood by the dining table, looking at Naruto in confusion. While biting a hair tie in her mouth, she reached behind her head and skillfully tied her golden locks into a ponytail.


    Naruto wondered if he had somehow crossed over again, ¡®Had I suddenly gotten a wife this time?¡¯


    ¡®Mdy, please control yourself?¡¯


    "Huh? You¡¯re not thinking anything weird, are you?" Ino asked with a frown.

 Chapter 92 Sure Enough

    Chapter 92 Sure Enough


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    "I swear on the name of the Legendary Sannin, absolutely not." Naruto said with a serious expression, sacrificing the reputation of the Sannin without hesitation to protect his apron fetish.


    Having a cute girl personally cook for him was something to be grateful for. But seeing Ino moving around in an apron, even though Naruto was doing his best not to let his mind wander...


    ¡®As expected, aprons are great, aren¡¯t they?¡¯


    The sound of running water filled the room as Naruto''s hands were fully submerged under the stream, but his eyes seemed distant.


    ¡®Ino had been acting a bit strangetely, but she did look good in that apron.¡¯


    ¡®If one were topare a maid outfit with an apron, it would be hard to choose, as both have their unique charm. A pretty girl with wless skin, just looking at her was a feast for the eyes.¡¯


    ¡®Damn it, I really should be thanking the heavens for sending such an angel.¡¯


    When she saw Naruto nonchntly walked out of the kitchen, Ino frowned slightly. She always felt that this boy in front of her suddenly became strange. She wondered why did his previously perverted gaze suddenly be pious, as if he was looking at a Miko.


    At the dining table.


    "It¡¯s delicious." Naruto praised without reservation, " The eggs have a hint of honey, and the soup is really tasty too¡­"


    Hearing Naruto¡¯s words, Ino¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was extremely satisfied. Then, as if something crossed her mind, she suddenly asked, "Where did you get that wound?"


    "Oh, that? I took it for Tsunade-sama."


    ¡®Tsunade-sama?¡¯ Ino immediately tensed up.


    She recalled seeing Tsunade on the tform outside the Hokage Tower earlier in the day and noticed Naruto standing beside her, looking rather listless.


    During the Godaime Hokage''s inauguration ceremony, usually, only the high-level Advisors and Elders were allowed to stand behind the new Hokage.


    Still, the mention of Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, made Ino feel a bit awed.


    "Tsunade-sama must be very amazing, right?"


    "No." Naruto''s expression turned resentful, "That woman doesn''t act like a Hokage at all. She has a bad temper and doesn''t keep her word. Shepletely relies on her status as a woman to shirk responsibility."


    "In short, I can¡¯t even imagine what it''s like to have someone like her as Hokage."


    "Huh?" Ino was a little confused. Although she didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened, she still said, "Naruto, don''t speak ill of Tsunade-sama. If it weren''t for Tsunade-sama, the vige wouldn''t have stabilized so quickly."


    Seeing Ino''s serious expression, Naruto pouted and responded with ¡®I know¡¯.


    "Geez, you¡¯d better listen to me, you know!"


    "Alright."


    The sunset was a warm yellow.


    The two walked side by side down Konoha¡¯s main street, blending in with the crowd of people heading home after a long day.


    "You really didn¡¯t have to walk me home." Ino said, stealing a quick nce at Naruto before quickly looking away.


    "It¡¯s nothing, I just felt like taking a stroll."


    "I heard that starting tomorrow, the vige will begin assigning all the missions that have piled up. After a brief break, things are going to get busy again." Ino said with a sigh.


    "Stay safe." Naruto replied absentmindedly, his gaze wandering through the lively crowd.


    It seemed that after Tsunade returned to the vige, the oppressive atmosphere hovering over Konoha instantly dissipated. The damaged buildings were mostly repaired, and more and more people wereing out of their sorrow.


    After the Konoha Crush, Naruto lost an old apartment, but for him, it was a negligible loss.


    What pained him more was losing the Kusanagi Sword, considering that Orochimaru¡¯s weapons wouldn¡¯t be handed over so easily, it made sense. He could only find an opportunity to get his hands on it in the future.


    Naruto pondered for a moment about Temari''s fan, which was still stored in his seal space, ¡®Given that the rtionship between Sunagakure and Konoha had softened, should I return it?¡¯


    "What are you thinking about?" Ino asked, frowning as she leaned into his line of sight with a slight pout, clearly displeased, "It''s very rude to space out when you''re talking to someone."


    "Sorry, I was thinking about maid outfits. Could you maybe try one on again?"


    "You better wipe that thought out before Ipletely wipe you out."


    "Do you mean that in the literal sense?"


    "Mm-hmm."


    "Ino."


    "What?"


    "We''re here." Naruto pointed towards the Yamanaka Flower Shop not far away. Before they knew it, they were standing on the street in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    "Oh." Ino took a few steps forward, ready to say her goodbyes.


    But then Naruto furrowed his brows and suddenly asked, "Ino, if you identally took something from a rather temperamental girl, what''s the best way to return it?"


    "Girl?" Ino''s expression turned strange, "What did you take from Sakura?"


    "It''s not Sakura."


    There was no point for Naruto to keep the fan, and he would have to return it sooner orter. If it came to the point where Konoha''s higher-ups had to negotiate, who knows how angry Tsunade would be.


    ¡®So it''s not Sakura!¡¯


    ¡®Sure enough, he has another woman outside!¡¯


    Although Ino felt a little hurt, she still patiently tried to find a solution for him.


    "If things are really tense, you could ask a third party to return it on your behalf without meeting face-to-face."


    ¡®A third party, huh?¡¯


    Naruto recalled carefully and realized that the Chunin Exams ended before Temari and Shikamaru could fight, so they still didn¡¯t know each other right now.


    As for Gaara, Naruto did beat him up once. He wasn''t sure if his ¡®Personality Adjustment Punch¡¯ had worked.


    ¡®It would be too dangerous to approach him rashly now, and I might end up beating him up again.¡¯


    ¡®But Gaara''s identity is now different from before, and he is no longer just a Genin from the Sand Vige.¡¯


    ¡®The Kazekage was dead, and Gaara, as the Jinchuriki and the crown prince, was naturally next in line for the position. If I beat up the new Kazekage, it could easily lead to a diplomatic dispute.¡¯


    ¡®Kankuro is too sinister, and Sasuke had already smashed his figurine. Now if I went there myself, I might have to fight with that little prince of Sunagakure again.¡¯


    ¡®What a headache. There are too many grudges, and with Konoha and Sunagakure re-establishing the diplomatic rtions, things had be moreplicated.¡¯


    ¡®Forget it, let¡¯s just wait for the Konoha¡¯s higher-ups to approach me.¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, those old geezers can''t do anything to me now. With Jiraiya and Tsunade here, any proposal concerning me would need their approval to take effect.¡¯


    Thinking of this, Naruto immediately rxed.


    ¡®The right way is to get more for less work, gain something for nothing, and make those old geezers die of rage.¡¯


    "Never mind, I''ll just ignore this for now." Naruto said, "You should head home. Be careful when you''re out on missions."


    "Okay."


    Ino took a few steps toward the Yamanaka Flower Shop, but then remembered Naruto''s earlier mention of the girl and suddenly stormed back, "What''s wrong? What else do you want?"


    "Ah!!!"


    Ino reached out and pinched Naruto''s waist hard, not giving him a chance to exin. Then, she huffed angrily, "Greedy pervert!!!"


    "Uh, actually that''s not..."

 Chapter 93 Daily Life of Team 7

    Chapter 93 Daily Life of Team 7


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    The next day.


    Naruto was urgently summoned by Kakashi early in the morning, as Team 7 was regrouping to prepare for a new mission.


    At the agreed meeting spot under therge oak tree, Sasuke arrived first, with cold face and strange eyes, as if something was bothering him. The moment he saw Naruto, he merely scoffed and turned his head away without saying anything.


    Naruto didn¡¯t seem to mind. He found a ce on the grass to sit and rest with a calm expression.


    "Sasuke, I suggest you sit down and wait. Kakashi will definitely find some eye-rolling excuse for beingte."


    Hearing this, Sasuke shot Naruto a nk look in response.


    "Idiot."


    Ten minutester, Sasuke sat obediently on the grass.


    Twenty minutester, the twoy on the ground a short distance apart, like two neatly ced corpses.


    "Sorry!!! I... I¡¯mte."


    Sakura came rushing over, her short pink hair bouncing as she hurriedly bowed in apology with her eyes closed.


    "A sudden influx of patients at the hospital kept me back to help."


    She opened her eyes, only to see her twopanions lying side by side on the ground.


    "Huh?"


    Ten minutester, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura were all lying on the grass.


    Naruto turned his head slightly, meeting Sakura¡¯s gaze, and they exchanged an awkward but friendly smile.


    Sakura looked much the same, with her short hair casually tied up, giving her a more capable appearance. Her exposed arms were slender and pale, and her chest had a slight curve to it. Her smile was confident and gentle.


    Sakura seemed to have matured quite a bit while working in the medical division, shedding her previous immaturity and panic.


    "Naruto, you seem to have grown a little taller?"


    "Maybe." Naruto touched the top of his head with his hand, "Probably because I¡¯ve been eating my vegetables, and my appetite has definitely increased."


    "However, Sakura, your skin seems to have gotten even better."


    "Eh? Really?"


    "Yeah, if you don''t believe me, just ask Sasuke."


    "Boring."


    "Well, everyone¡¯s early, so I guess no one¡¯ste." Kakashi suddenly appeared on the tree above, startling the three people below.


    "Kakashi-sensei, do you even realize what time it is?" Sakura said helplessly.


    "You¡¯re clearly the one who¡¯ste!" Narutoined.


    "35 minutes." Sasuke added with disdain.


    Kakashi jumped down from the tree, giving azy smile, his dead-fish eye narrowing as he scratched the back of his head, "A ck cat just crossed my path, so I..."


    ¡­


    "The mission is over. I¡¯ll head back to the Hokage Tower to submit the report." Kakashi saidzily, "You all performed well, especially Sakura, your progress is impressive."


    "In any case, you¡¯re dismissed. There should be a new mission tomorrow. Since the Godaime Hokage took office, we have a backlog of missions toplete. The other teams are in a simr situation to ours."


    "Yes!" The three of them took a long time to respond, and then they all chuckled.


    Kakashi scratched his head and smiled too. Team 7 was the first team of Genin he had ever led, and it might be thest. As he turned to leave, his gaze lingered briefly on Sasuke.


    During this mission, Sasuke¡¯s behavior had been a bit unusual. He¡¯s too eager and impatient.


    The four of them dispersed in their respective directions. Sakura had to return to the medical department, Sasuke went off to train, Kakashi went to report the mission, and Naruto nned to head home and rx.


    Konoha Street.


    After wandering aimlessly for a while, Naruto found himself entering the old, abandoned building.


    However, after searching around, he realized that it was nowpletely empty.


    ¡®It seemed that Tayuya was no longer hiding here, and all traces of her disappearedpletely.¡¯


    As dusk approached, thest rays of sunlight were swallowed up by the darkness.


    In an instant, the abandoned building was shrouded in pitch ckness.


    Naruto stood in that corner and watched for a while, ¡®Tayuya had likely reunited with the other three members of the Sound Four. Sasuke''s eyes also seemed a little strange in the morning, so he might be nning to defect soon.¡¯


    Descending the stairs, he left.


    Naruto casually found a ce to grab some food, as he¡¯s not in the mood to cook for himself. He still has missions toplete tomorrow, so he figured it was best to get some rest and sleep early.


    ¡­


    The next day, Naruto arrived at the same meeting spot from the day before, only to be met with a temporary notice from Kakashi.


    The mission was canceled.


    "Why was it cancelled?" Naruto asked.


    "I don''t know." Sakura said helplessly, "Kakashi-sensei just said the mission was canceled. It seemed like something important came up, so he told me to inform you all and then left without exining further."


    "Maybe it''s a more dangerous S-Rank mission."


    "Then I guess we''re done for today." Naruto said with a yawn, waving his hand, "I didn''t sleep wellst night, so I¡¯ll go back and catch up on some sleep."


    "Mm." Sasuke turned and walked away.


    "See youter, Sakura." Naruto was about to leave, but was stopped by Sakura.


    "Naruto, can you do me a favor?" She asked.


    Konoha Hospital, corridor.


    The white walls reflected a bright glow, and the strong smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. The hallway was wet, clearly just mopped, with caution signs ced at both ends.


    "I''m really sorry, but the medical department ispletely swamped." Sakura said with guilty look, "If we have a mission tomorrow, I might bete again."


    "It''s just organizing some files, no big deal." Naruto replied, ncing at the stack of papers on the desk.


    He wanted to say that there might not be a mission tomorrow. Although teams without a Jonin Instructor still had to take on simple C-Rank missions, they couldn''t do so if they were missing a team member.


    "Thank you, Naruto," Sakura said, somewhat nervously.


    "Sakura, hurry up!" A head popped out from the end of the corridor, and the Medical-nin in the medical department uniform urgently waving at her, "Come and help!"


    "Yes, Senpai!" Sakura quickly ran off, then turned back to call out to Naruto, "I''ll treat you to barbecue once we''re done."


    "Okay."


    Naruto walked into the empty office, pulled out a chair, and started organizing the files one by one. These were all left behind during the Konoha Crush, as there were too many patients to keep up with the paperwork.


    Organizing them wasn''t too tiring, just a bit tedious, which Sakura had told him in advance. Following the established procedure, Naruto worked through the files, and time flew by.


    By noon, Sakura returned to the office, stretching with her joints cracking, and copsed into the chair opposite Naruto, visibly exhausted. She grabbed arge stack of files and started to sort them out too.


    "The medical department is so busy, I''m so sorry to trouble you." Sakura said with a hint of guilt, "I was going to ask Ino, but she''s out on a mission today."


    When Naruto heard Sakura mention Ino, he couldn''t help but recall the incident from the other night, and he couldn''t help but feels helpless. If he had known earlier, he would have never brought up Temari¡¯s matter. In the end, he hadn''t even managed to exin it properly.


    Ino had stormed back into the shop angrily, and the matter was left unresolved.

 Chapter 94 Sasuke’s Defection

    Chapter 94 Sasuke¡¯s Defection


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    The office quickly fell into silence, leaving only the rustling of pages. asionally, both Naruto and Sakura would pause to drink water in sync. There¡¯s no words exchanged, yet the silence feltfortable.


    A morning wasn''t enough to finish all the work. About ten minutes before the end of the day, they both began to stop what they were doing and discussed where to go for barbecue.


    "Let''s go to that barbecue ce near the Akimichi n''spound. It''s a bit farther, but it''s worth it." Sakura suggested, resting her head on the table.


    "Sure, sounds good." Naruto leaned back in his chair casually, looking up at the ceiling and said casually, "How about inviting Sasuke? He doesn''t have any missions anyway."


    Sakura suddenly fell silent for a moment before saying, "Let''s not."


    "Sasuke seems to be in a bad mood recently. He even had a huge argument with Kakashi-sensei at the hospital a while ago."


    "I see." Naruto responded casually, "It''s probably because of Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke''s obsession with killing him has be almost like a fixation."


    "Uchiha Itachi?" Sakura picked up on the deeper meaning in Naruto''s words and pressed further, "I only know bits and pieces of the story. Why is Sasuke so determined to¡­"


    "Blood feud." Naruto replied as if discussing something mundane, but he didn''t reveal the full truth.


    There was no need to exin more and risk getting himself involved in endless trouble.


    Dealing with Itachi was terrifying enough, but adding Orochimaru into the mix¡­ Both of them were monsters, each crazier than the other. If Sakura wanted to jump into that mess, she could go ahead, but Naruto had no interest in getting involved at all.


    After that bloody night, Sasuke lived only for revenge.


    In Tsukuyomi World, Sasuke had watched helplessly as Itachi killed their family, and he could only cowardly question his cold-blooded brother over and over again in vain.


    Even though he survived, Sasuke never truly walked out of that bloodstained night behind. In the familiar surroundings of the Uchiha n¡¯spound, Itachi had ruthlessly taken everything from him.


    Some people are alive, but inside them is a child who died long ago.


    "Why is this happening?" Sakura''s voice trembled. "Sasuke never mentioned any of this to us."


    "Whether he mentions about it or not doesn''t really matter." Naruto said as he pushed back his chair and stood up, slowly taking a sip of water, "Sakura, some things are beyond your ability to change."


    "I actually hope Sasuke can find some relief in his quest for revenge. If it were me, I''d do whatever it takes to kill Itachi too."


    Through the ss, the coldness in the depths of Naruto''s blue eyes met with Sakura¡¯s who looked up, and thetter shivered in her seat, unnerved by the intensity of his gaze.


    The day''s work ended, and Naruto went home to rx.


    The barbecue that afternoon was unusually quiet. Sakura was a little distracted, while Naruto ate heartily.


    Everyone in Team 7 had noticed Sasuke''s strange behavior. Naruto wasn''t hiding anything, and he was merely stating his stance early: He fully supported Sasuke''s quest for revenge.


    Itachi''s overwhelming presence was suffocating. Though he spared Sasuke, to everyone else, he was a merciless killer. So much so that until now, Naruto still had lingering fears about opening the door.


    Among the battle-hardened Shinobi, only those Kage-level Shinobi like the Sannin are capable of posing a threat to Itachi.


    With a thud, Naruto copsed onto the sofa, slowly closing his eyes.


    The Next Day.


    As expected, the mission couldn''t proceed. Team 7 was missing a member, as Uchiha Sasuke had gone missing.


    Tsunade was furious. With all the Jonin out on missions, and the remaining Anbu were insufficient, if the Root was not called upon, she would have to rely on the avable Genin.


    With no other options, Tsunade decided to summon Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto, who were still in the vige, to the Hokage''s Office. Then, she appointed thezy military strategist, Shikamaru, to lead the team.


    Without much small talk, Tsunade only said to use any means necessary to bring Sasuke back.


    "Hokage-sama, we still need more manpower." Shikamaru said bluntly, "If it''s just the three of us, we won''t be able toplete the mission."


    "You can choose any avable Shinobi who haven''t been assigned to a mission yet, and report the list to me before you leave." Tsunade replied after a brief pause, "You must be quick. We absolutely cannot allow Uchiha Sasuke to cross the borders of the Land of Fire."


    "Yes," Shikamaru responded and quickly left, with Neji following behind.


    Naruto turned around and tried to leave, but was suddenly stopped by Tsunade.


    "Naruto, please stay for a moment."


    Hearing this, Naruto stopped and turned to look at Tsunade. Seeing her fair face reminded him of the sword in his chest, and his face immediately fell.


    "I''m really busy. Please don''t give me any additional tasks besides chasing after Sasuke!!"


    Tsunade''s face instantly darkened, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. She grabbed Naruto by the cor, pulling him face-to-face as she growled menacingly, "I''m telling you to be careful, you little brat!!"


    "Give me back that sword!" Naruto red back, not showing any weakness. "Without it, who knows if I''ll even make it back alive."


    "What did you say, brat?" Tsunade reached out and squished Naruto''s face like it was made of putty, "Who do you think you are? Bargaining with the Hokage? Do you have a death wish?"


    "It hurts, it hurts!!!" Even as Tsunade twisted his face, Naruto stubbornly said, "Without the sword, Tsunade-sama, you might as well get ready to send flowers to my grave."


    "Who would care about the death of a mere Genin like you!!" Tsunade snapped, getting angrier by the second, "If you keepining, I will send you back to the Academy!"


    "Well! Do you have anything else to say?"


    "You''re spitting in my face." Naruto remarked.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    With a bang, Naruto was thrown far away by Tsunade, and the Kusanagi Sword stabbed into the ground beside him with a ng.


    Seeing that he got the Kusanagi sword back, Naruto instantly changed his demeanor. He carefully picked out the sword as if he was holding his wife. Then, he looked at Tsunade with a serious face, and his posture suddenly straightened up, "Yes! I will definitely not die."


    "Get lost!"


    "Yes, Hokage-sama."


    Naruto knew when to quit while he was ahead. He grabbed the equipment that Tsunade had dropped and quickly made his exit, closing the door and sprinting down the stairs.


    Upstairs, Tsunade was getting angrier and angrier as she thought about it, her chest heaving with frustration.


    She grabbed the nearest chair and threw it out the window. The sound of shattering ss was followed by a loud yell from below as Naruto cried out in pain.


    "Ah!! Which bastard threw something from above!!!"


    Hearing Naruto''s shout from below, Tsunade leaned halfway out the window, looking down at him. Seeing her, Naruto instantly went silent, and ran away without saying another word.


    Just as Naruto left, Sakura found Tsunade and begged her to join in the operation to get Sasuke back.


    Tsunade narrowed her eyes and refused outright, citing the rule that Medical-nin shouldn''t participate in high-risk missions. She also reassured Sakura that she had already assigned people to retrieve Sasuke, so there was no need to worry.


    Meanwhile, Naruto stored the Kusanagi sword in the seal space, quickly gathered some supplies, and immediately set off with the team led by Shikamaru on their mission to pursue Sasuke.


    As they rushed through the forest, Naruto couldn''t help but think about Tayuya and the other three members of the Sound Four.


    ¡®If they dared to make a move on me after eating my ice cream, I¡¯ll make sure to give them a good beating once I caught them.¡¯

 Chapter 95 Ah, No, I Didn’t

    Chapter 95 Ah, No, I Didn¡¯t


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    ¡°Wow, Sasuke really pulls some weight, huh? Even the genius of the Hyuga n is here.¡±


    Naruto muttered as they rushed.


    "Hmph." Neji nced at him coldly but said nothing.


    Back during the Chunin Exams, Naruto had forfeited and didn''t get to fight with any of the Konoha 12, but it wasn¡¯t a secret that Team 7 had taken down the Sunagakure¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    "Naruto, stop talking too much." Kiba grinned mischievously and added fuel to the fire with ill intent, "You can''t even beat him."


    "Yeah, yeah, whatever, you who stole Akamaru''s dog food." Naruto shot back,nding a few verbal jabs of his own, "You''ve probably lost the ability tomunicate with humans, huh?"


    "If things go wrong, Akamaru will just settle down, while you''re still a single loser."


    "Damn it! Do you want to fight?" Kiba''s defense was easily shattered.


    "Naruto, enough. We''re all on the same team." Choji interjected, his eyes squinting in a friendly manner as he turned around to diffuse the situation.


    "Fine."


    "Why do you listen to Choji so much? Damn it!"


    "Because Choji eats chips and grilled meat, not dog food." Naruto snorted, giving Kiba a disdainful look. Then, he mouthed silently, "Idiot."


    "Can you actually eat dog food?" Lee, who is at the back of the team, asked curiously.


    "Alright, alright, stop arguing." Shikamaru, the team leader, opened his tired eyes, already feeling a headacheing on, "This mission is important. If we fail, we¡¯ll probably get chewed out when we get."


    "The existing clues don''t indicate that Sasuke was kidnapped. It¡¯s possible that Sasuke¡­"


    Shikamaru''s expression turned serious as he nced sideways at Naruto. After a moment of silence, he spoke cautiously, "Has defected."


    "That kind of thing has little to do with us." Naruto was the first to break the silence, "We just need to bring Sasuke back. As for other things, we don''t have to worry about it."


    No one else spoke, not even the usually lively Kiba.


    Despite their bickering, they all deeply cared for theirpanions. If they were to face a defection among their own, it would be hard to handle.


    But Naruto seemed unaffected, even lookedpletely indifferent.


    He did value the bonds with hispanions, after all, humans are social creatures with emotions. But when it came to the vige¡¯s interests, that was a different story. It wasn''t that he despised the vige, it was just that Konoha wasn¡¯t worth risking his life for.


    He was fine with making normal efforts, but risking his life? Not so much. After all, he had no desire to be the so-called savior.


    It was like this: If the vige never gave him shelter, then he¡¯d rather run naked in the rain, enjoying himself while irritating others.


    In his mind, the vige was like arge guild in a game. He joined the guild and contributed hisbor or resources, so the vige should return the favor with corresponding resources.


    Maybe it was because he brought a worker''s mindset from his previous life, but Naruto had always carried a certain resentment. More importantly, he did not need the resources provided by the vige, as having the system was enough.


    In other words, he was just an ordinary Shinobi enjoying the convenience brought by the vige. Beyondpleting missions and defending the vige, he wouldn''t do anything else.


    Unless, of course, there were enough benefits.


    Based on this, Naruto had rified his responsibilities and obligations: Treat hispanions sincerely, enjoy life, be kind to others, and simply be a good person.


    After a few seconds of silence, Naruto spoke again.


    "Actually, I¡¯m really upset that Sasuke would do something like this! I have to bring him back."


    This time, the response was perfect.


    Shikamaru, Choji, and Lee all chimed in tofort him, automatically ignoring Naruto¡¯s previous shocking statement. They assumed he was just trying to stayposed, thinking that deep down, Naruto must be really hurting.


    In fact, in Naruto''s mind, Sasuke is just a tsundere colleague. It''s a bit embarrassing to say this, but to be honest, he crossed overte, so he didn''t have such a deep bond with Sasuke.


    "I''m fine." Naruto spoke the truth in his heart.


    Seeing this, Shikamaru and Choji didn¡¯t say anything more, and the group continued on their way in silence.


    About half a dayter¡­


    Neji was the first to spot their target. With his Byakugan activated, he urately pinpointed the enemy¡¯s location. There is a reason why the Hyuga n''s Shinobi are so popr, as their advantages in pursuit missions was undeniable.


    "There are four of them, one of them is carrying a sealed barrel. Sasuke should be inside the barrel."


    "Don¡¯t act rashly, follow my lead." Shikamaru instructed after a moment of thought, "I''ll restrain them, then Naruto, Lee, Choji, and Neji, each of you take one opponent. Kiba, since you¡¯re quick, you¡¯ll be responsible for taking Sasuke back."


    "Try to injure them seriously, and then we¡¯ll retreat."


    Everyone understood the n. Except for Kiba, the others each picked a target. Given his absolute defensive capabilities, Neji chose Kidomaru, and Choji chose the fat Jirobo given the size.


    In the end, only Sakon, Ukon and Tayuya were left for Lee and Naruto. Then, Naruto spoke to Lee earnestly, "You should choose first."


    Without hesitation, Lee chose Ukon and Sakon. Reluctantly, Naruto ended up with Tayuya.


    "At least leave me someone who can put up a fight!" Naruto pretended toin.


    "It''s okay, just let me have this one this time. I don''t want to fight with a girl." Leeforted Naruto and said seriously, "I''ll treat you to ramen when we get back."


    "Deal!" Naruto readily agreed.


    Last time he had mooched off of Lee, he had unlocked an option rted to the Flying Thunder God Technique, so he has always remembered it. Because of that, whether it was ramen or pickled radish, as long as it¡¯s with Lee, he was up for it.


    Hearing this, Lee turned and gave Naruto a thumbs-up, shing a set of perfectly straight, white teeth.


    "Alright, that''s enough." Shikamaru was disgusted by the interaction of the two people burning their Youth, and interrupted, "Get ready to move. Once I make my move, you guys go in immediately!"


    "Understood." Everyone responded.


    Shadow Imitation Technique!


    Shikamaru''s Ninjutsu suddenly activated, and the thin, narrow shadow moved along the tree trunks toward the four enemies. Just as it was about to reach the four¡¯s feet, Kimimaro, who looked pale, descended from the sky.


    With a loud bang, the ground was shattered.


    The thin shadow was disrupted and instantly nullified. Shikamaru and the others had no choice but to leap aside to avoid the shockwave that tore up the ground, leaving a long trench in its wake.


    Dense dust clouds expanded in all directions, and everyone except Neji lost their vision in an instant.


    "Fall back!" Neji shouted the simplestmand.


    Everyone, including Shikamaru, didn¡¯t dare to hesitate and quickly jumped back. With their vision obscured by the dust, Neji¡¯s decision was perfectly reasonable.


    Naruto did have a Wind Release Ninjutsu, but unfortunately, it was just de of Wind. If it was arge-scale Wind Release Ninjutsu like Temari¡¯s, he could¡¯ve cleared the dust with a single swing.


    The six people from Konoha quickly leaped out of the dust cloud¡¯s range. When the dust finally settled, only Kimimaro remained, watching them indifferently.


    "Damn it! We can¡¯t let them get away like this!" Shikamaru shouted, "I''ll stay behind, Naruto, you guys go after them."

 Chapter 96 He Said, I Am a Good Child

    Chapter 96 He Said, I Am a Good Child


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    Before Shikamaru could finish speaking, Naruto suddenly drew a long sword from who knows where and jumped directly in front of Kimimaro. In a tone more serious than ever before, he said, "I''ll hold off this guy. You guys go ahead."


    "Naruto, you¡­"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll catch up with youter." Naruto interrupted him directly, "You guys should hurry."


    Kimimaro had no expression on his face, and without the slightest hesitation, he directly activated the first stage of his Cursed Seal. His entire body became covered in bones, making him look like a demoning from hell.


    While Shikamaru''s face was filled with horror, he also knew in his heart that it would be toote if they didn''t leave now.


    "Let''s go!" Shikamaru immediately rushed forward.


    The other four quickly followed, moving in four zigzagging paths as they rapidly leaped away. Logically speaking, no matter how terrifying Kimimaro was, there was no way he could stop all five of them in front of Naruto.


    This is also the knowledge that has long been taught in the Academy, the escape trajectory during a battle.


    Dance of the Camellia!


    Kimimaro''s speed suddenly increased, and bone des appeared from his arms as he charged toward the five who were trying to escape. Naruto didn''t hold back either and sped his hands, directly activating the Technique given by the system, Adamantine Sealing Chains.


    Thick golden chains burst from the ground, sealing off every direction Kimimaro could pursue, weaving toward him like sentient vines, endlessly locking him down.


    This Sealing Technique was originally used to restrain Kyubi, so it would be aplete overkill to use it against Kimimaro.


    "What was that just now?" Ch¨­ji asked, still shaken after they sessfully evaded Kimimaro, "Naruto won''t be in danger, right?"


    "Who knows." Kiba replied with a grave expression, "That must''ve been something Naruto came up with. Instead of worrying about him, we should worry about ourselves."


    The five continued to pursue the Sound Four, with Shikamaru gritting his teeth as he said, "Naruto should be able to handle it. Speed ??up. We have to stop Sasuke from leaving!!"


    Meanwhile¡­


    Trapped within the Adamantine Sealing Chains, Kimimaro realized that he might not be able to break free from these chains. After a brief moment of thought, he suddenly entered the second stage of the Cursed Seal and unleashed Dance of the Seedling Fern.


    Dense bones began to sprout from the ground, their sheer number surpassing that of the chains. Almost instantly, the once lush forest was covered in a forest of sharp white bones, like a terrifying graveyard of bones.


    Naruto was well aware of Kimimaro''s formidable strength and had no intention of getting entangled with him from the beginning. He directly started with his ultimate move, forcing Kimimaro into a battle of attrition, draining his Chakra.


    Dance of the Seedling Fern was the most powerful Ninjutsu Kimimaro could use in his second state Cursed Seal, but it also hastened the deterioration of his already terminally ill body.


    Kimimaro, like Haku, is willing to give everything for his master.


    Covered in sharp bones, Kimimaro was lifted from the ground by the bones, like a monarch born on a throne of bones. With a cold and emotionless face, his right hand turned into a massive bone spear, and he stabbed at Naruto, who was trapped in the sky-high bone forest below.


    Before the mission, Kimimaro''s condition was almost like that of a corpse. Now, he was merely burning thest of his life force, offering up his final value for Orochimaru.


    [Kyubi¡¯s approval 19.8%]


    Within the bone forest, dark red Chakra erupted, instantly shattering the bone forest within a hundred-meter radius.


    ¡®Lava Release!!¡¯


    Naruto didn¡¯t fully use the full Biju Transformation, but he did release two tails, maintaining most of his sanity. With the support of arge amount of Kyubi¡¯s Chakra, moltenva instantly covered the entire bone forest,pletely halting the growth of the bones.


    The strongest bone spear Kimimaro aimed at Naruto began to crack and crumble the moment it touched the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra Cloak, breaking inch by inch. Being harder than steel didn¡¯t mean it was unbreakable, as it just hadn¡¯t encountered a stronger force until now.


    Naruto had no qualms about using Kyubi as a shield in critical moments.


    After all, who told him to eat his things and take his things? Making him work for him was only fair.


    But that was ast-resort life-saving move meant for facing more dangerous opponents like Itachi or Orochimaru. Against someone like Kimimaro, there was no need to bring out Kyubi for a fight.


    strongest bone spear shattered inch by inch, signaling the end of Kimimaro''s life. His body was nowpletely immobilized, unable to move at all.


    Surrounded by a sea of moltenva, only a meter-wide patch of the bone forest remained around Kimimaro, resembling a lonely ind in a sea of fire. Kimimaro, suspended in the air, hung his head, the very image of someone at death''s door.


    "Kimimaro."


    "You know my name?" Kimimaro did not lift his head, as he could no longer control any part of his body.


    His heartbeat was slowing, and his breathing grew increasingly shallow.


    "Yeah, you''re about to die." Naruto said indifferently, "What a pity, Orochimaru must have valued you highly."


    "I do not fear death, I only fear dying without purpose." Kimimaro''s voice was devoid of emotion, as if he felt no pain from his impending death. "If my death can bring value to Orochimaru-sama, then it is worth it."


    "What a fanatical and terrifying follower." Naruto sighed and retracted the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra.


    "Orochimaru-sama always leads the way, but he will look back to check if I''m keeping up. If I fall behind, he will stop until I reappear." At this time, Kimimaro''s voice finally showed a trace of emotion.


    "I have no purpose in life... I... I''m just a thief."


    "A thief who has stolen... Orochimaru-sama¡¯s reason for living."


    "That''s not too bad." Naruto said perfunctorily, like a seasoned hunter waiting for his prey to take its final breath.


    He didn''t want to take any unnecessary risks. He had plenty of time, and he didn''t particrly care whether Sasuke was taken away or not. So, like an evil god, he continued to coax Kimimaro into talking, hastening his demise.


    "What''s... your name?" Kimimaro asked.


    "Inuzuka Kiba." Naruto gave Kiba''s name without hesitation. Although he knew there was no need to hide his identity from someone on the brink of death, but... just in case Kimimaro was resurrected through Edo Tensei, it would be better if he didn''te looking for Naruto.


    "Inuzuka Kiba¡­"


    Kimimaro muttered the name. Despite beingpletely immobilized, Kimimaro managed to lift his head. Naruto, who was not far away, could hear the sound of bones cracking, but he didn''t find any trace of pain on Kimimaro''s sickly pale face.


    He hid it well, or perhaps, at that moment, he was actually feeling joy.


    Because Kimimaro was smiling.


    "Thank you... for reminding me of happy things. I''m about to die, and I''m so happy, because... because¡­"


    The voice of the boy covered with bones became weaker and weaker, almost inaudible.


    Not far away, Naruto drew out the Kusanagi Sword, his blue eyes were as deep as the sea. He didn''t understand emotions, he was simply waiting for Kimimaro to breathe hisst before delivering the final blow. The Shinigami treats all who fail to deliver the coup de grace equally, dragging them into hell.


    Naruto was clear-headed and ruthless, but he still heard Kimimaro''s final words.


    His blood-stained lips barely moved, whispering as if in a quiet chant.


    "Orochimaru-sama said¡­. I am a good child."

 Chapter 97 Don’t Eat That!

    Chapter 97 Don¡¯t Eat That!


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    After delivering the final blow, Naruto rummaged through the pile of bones, selecting a particrly nice-looking one to toss into the seal space.


    ¡°What a hassle.¡±


    After saying that, Naruto quickly took off.


    When he caught up to Neji, he arrived just in time to see Kidomaru''srge arrow piercing through Neji''s shoulder, leaving a chillingly clean hole.


    "Hiss~"


    Naruto inhaled sharply, as just looking at it made him wince in pain.


    "Is he dead?" Neji, lying on the ground, clutched his shoulder in pain, gritting his teeth as he asked.


    "Yeah, he''s dead!" Naruto pulled the Kusanagi Sword out of Kidomaru''s heart, and then stabbed him again for good measure, "Cold as ice."


    "Are they all dead?" Neji looked up at the sky through the gaps in the trees, referring to Kimimaro.


    "Dead." Naruto hoisted Neji onto his back, "This pursuit mission is probably over. Since even you are injured, the others can''t be in much better shape."


    "You''re strong."


    "Thanks, but that''s not apliment." Naruto''s sharp tongue remained unfiltered.


    If he left Neji here in the middle of nowhere, he''d probably be dead within half a day. Naruto himself wasn''t sure if Tsunade had called for backup, nor if the backup could arrive in time, so he decided to carry Neji and catch up with the others.


    Also, he nned to call off this mission temporarily.


    If they were to face opponents stronger than themselves one by one, the result would be either mutual destruction or suicide.


    If something happened to these young masters of Konoha at the same time, Tsunade would undoubtedly face severe repercussions from the higher-ups.


    Whether it is the Nara n, the Inuzuka n, or Akimichi n, they are all closely aligned with the Hokage Faction. For them, as long as they were loyal to the Sandaime Hokage''s lineage, it didn''t matter who held the position.


    However, if Tsunade were to fall out of favor, Naruto''s future wouldn¡¯t be much better.


    ¡®Damn it, Danzo has to take the me!¡¯


    After a frantic rush¡­


    "Neji, check our position." Naruto said as he followed the markers left behind, "We''vee this far, they should be nearby."


    Enduring the pain, Neji activated his Byakugan.


    His vision, like an eagle''s, cut through the dense forest, finally settling on a deeper part of the woods.


    "Choji is over there."


    On an unknown open space on the east side of Konoha Forest, Choji was sent flying by a kick from Jirobo, who had activated his Cursed Seal, and crashed heavily to the ground.


    Before activating his Cursed Seal, Jirobo was a cautious person. However, once he activated his Cursed Seal, he immediately transformed into an arrogant, trash-talking fighter.


    "You''re just a worthless piece of trash left behind. Die, you fat pig." Jirobo stomped on Choji''s chest. "A fat pig like you has no right to live."


    "It seems yourpanions have abandoned you. Poor little pig."


    As he spoke, Jirobo picked up the bag of chips Choji had dropped and poured thest chip into his mouth.


    "What a trash, you don''t even have enough snacks. You should just die!"


    "But don''t worry, after killing you, fat pig, I''ll make sure to eat all those worthlesspanions of yours who abandoned you!"


    Choji could barely speak, and the Chakra stored in his body was almost exhausted. He believed in hispanions, and at this moment, with a resolve to die, he was ready to take Jirobo down with him.


    Hey on the ground, barely clinging to life. Facing Jirobo who kept on talking and insulting him, he used hisst bit of strength to take out a red pill that, once consumed, would push him into a berserk state but ultimately lead to his death.


    Just as Choji was about to pop the pill into his mouth, a familiar and somewhat annoying voice echoed through the forest canopy.


    "Don''t eat that. It''s not worth it."


    Naruto leaped down from the top of a giant tree, with Neji slung over his back. The moment hended, he grabbed Choji''s wrist and forcibly stopped his action of taking the drug.


    At the same time, he used his Lava Release to force the meat tank, Jirobo, back several meters.


    "Naruto?" Choji whipped his head around, "And¡­ Neji?"


    He saw the bloody hole on Hyuga Neji''s left shoulder that had been simply treated and bandaged, and he was suddenly so concerned that he couldn''t speak. He narrowed his eyes and tried to be serious, but failed to convey any real intimidation.


    "How did you guys¡­?"


    "How? We just happened to be passing by." Naruto tossed Neji to Choji like he was throwing a backpack, "Here, take care of Neji."


    Neji red at Naruto but was promptly ignored.


    Choji caught Neji like a ball, quickly realizing that Naruto intended to deal with Jirobo alone. However, a nce at Jirobo, now in his second state Cursed Seal, still left Choji with a sense of dread.


    He knew that guy''s whole body was as hard as iron, his sparse hair like steel nails, and his hands like steel ws.


    "Naruto, you have to be careful against that guy."


    Naruto didn''t respond and simply walked towards Jirobo not far away.


    Looking at Naruto, who was slowly approaching, Jirobo let out a maniacalugh. But unfortunately, his excessively fat face twisted theughter into something grotesque.


    "The fat pig couldn''t beat me, so he brought in another piece of trash? What''s the point?"


    "Why aren''t you saying anything? Trash is still trash, right? Or maybe..."


    Naruto remained silent, step by step drawing closer to Jirobo.


    Hepletely turned a deaf ear to Jirobo''s low-level taunts. After all, when it came to breaking others¡¯ defense, no one could beat him.


    However, he didn''t have time to y the defense-breaking game with Jirobo, so he directly activated the Four Symbols Seal and pulled out the Kusanagi Sword from inside his pants.


    "All of you might as welle at me together, you''re all just a bunch of¡­"


    Jirobo stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    "Damn it! Don''t pull your sword out of there! You''re trying to disgust me, aren''t you?"


    With a loud roar, Jiro mmed his hands into the ground, causing boulders to fly in all directions and a huge stone b to rise up and fly towards Naruto¡¯s direction.


    In less than two seconds, the stone b was sliced into pieces. Facing the de of the Kusanagi Sword, the rocks crumbled like tofu, with debris and dust filling the air.


    Naruto used Lava Release to coat the Kusanagi Sword, stopped ten meters in front of Jirobo, and said in a t tone, "Stop shouting, you underdeveloped freak."


    "Orochimaru doesn''t like ugly children."


    Naruto then silently pulled out a cloth and, with a nk expression, wiped Jirobo''s blood off the de.


    Choji watched in astonishment as Naruto effortlessly dispatched Jirobo as if cutting through vegetables. He blinked several times, struggling to process what had just happened, as it was too surreal.


    ¡®What was that thing in his hand?¡¯


    "Naruto, you..." Choji said ¡®you¡¯ for a long time before managing to say, "You''re so f*cking awesome!"


    Choji, though usually kind and soft-spoken, couldn¡¯t help but cursed at this time.


    Naruto put away the Kusanagi Sword, patted Choji on the shoulder, and said meaningfully.


    "Well, you still need to learn more."


    The three of them didn''t waste any time and followed the markers left by Shikamaru, Lee, and Kiba. After a while, they found the seriously injured Kiba, Akamaru, and Lee in arge fissure in the ground.


    After Naruto killed Sakon and Ukon cleanly and efficiently, they set out again to find Shikamaru, intending to call off the mission.

 Chapter 98 Sell Your Soul to Me

    Chapter 98 Sell Your Soul to Me


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    A total of six people from Konoha Twelve came out for this mission. Excluding Naruto and Shikamaru, three were injured and one was almost out of Chakra. ording to the protocol, the mission should be terminated.


    While Uchiha was undeniably important, the lives of the six young Konoha¡¯s Shinobi were equally valuable. In the future, they will be the pirs of Konoha. After all, they¡¯re the most promising buds that Sandaime spoke of.


    By both logic and emotion, the mission should be called off.


    "Drag Shikamaru back, it doesn¡¯t matter if he agrees or not." Naruto said as they pressed on, "There are still two people left on the other side, and Sasuke is also incredibly strong."


    "I can''t beat him anyway. If we insisted on chasing him, we''ll all die here."


    The four of them were silent for a moment, and Choji, who is carrying the injured Kiba on his back, was the first to speak in agreement with Naruto''s proposal.


    "I think what Naruto said makes sense."


    Lee, after a moment of contemtion, gave up on thinking and agreed as well, "Same here."


    Since Kiba and Neji were severely injured, they had no say in the matter. The decision passed with a three-to-zero vote. With this, even if Shikamaru had any objections, it would be a five-to-one decision.


    "There''s something up ahead." The half-dead Kiba muttered.


    Neji, with a hole in his chest, activated his Byakugan again, scanning in the direction Kiba pointed. His vision cut through the trees and locked onto the northeast forest.


    "That''s close to the Konoha¡¯s border." Neji said, "A little further, and it''s the forest of the Land of Fire. If they get in there, it''ll be nearly impossible to find them!"


    Between the Konoha Forest and the Land of Fire was a long, open in that stretched westward towards the sea, with the Valley of the End not far off.


    "I''ll go ahead and check it out." Naruto said after a moment of thought, "You guys¡­"


    Halfway through his words, Neji felt himself flying again, drawing a graceful curve in the air like a small schoolbag thrown into the air after school on Friday.


    With a thud, Lee, who had regained some strength, caught him steadily.


    Amid Neji''s first-time profanity, Naruto left, his figure disappearing in a dramatic exit that left Neji swearing that he would definitely beat up Naruto.


    Meanwhile¡­


    Shikamaru was forced to retreat continuously by Tayuya, who had activated her second state Cursed Seal. Just as he was about to seize an opportunity to counterattack, Sasuke suddenly burst out of his barrel and unleashed a Fire Release Technique straight at Shikamaru, forcing him to retreat further into the woods.


    Without looking back, Sasuke ran off, leaving a frustrated Tayuya. Gritting her teeth, Tayuya prepared to blow her flute and finish Shikamaru off in one final push when suddenly¡­


    A brilliant sword cut through the air, its sharpness whistling in the wind, as it shot forward like lightning, piercing through with the speed of a thunderbolt!


    With a heavy thud, the Kusanagi Sword embedded itself deeply into a tree.


    Tayuya froze in shock when she saw the sword, and at first, she thought it was Orochimaru himself had arrived. But then, someone else made a shy entrance,nding right between Shikamaru and Tayuya.


    "Shikamaru, stand down."


    The fallen leaves on the ground exploded upward, and wet mud sttered as Naruto fixed his gaze on the second state Cursed Seal Tayuya, standing with his back to Shikamaru.


    "Choji and the others are all injured. Continuing this chase is pointless."


    "Damn it, we''vee this far." Shikamaru gritted his teeth and said unwillingly, "How are Choji and the others?"


    "They''re behind us. I came ahead."


    Hearing their casual conversation as if she didn''t exist, Tayuya couldn''t hold it in anymore and shouted, "Hey! You two bastards! Stop ignoring me!"


    "Huh?" Shikamaru''s eyes moved past Naruto andnded on Tayuya. He suddenly became nervous and shouted, "Naruto, get back quickly! That woman is very dangerous."


    "Oh, okay." Naruto replied perfunctorily, and nced at Tayuya on the opposite side.


    "Tsk." Tayuya scowled from afar, rolling her eyes in annoyance.


    She raised her flute horizontally and shouted, "You bastards, just die already! You, and you! All of you are going to die by my hands!"


    Shikamaru''s pupils dted, and the feeling of being dominated by fear surged into his heart again. He suddenly remembered Tayuya''s terrifying Genjutsu and shouted again, "Naruto, get back! Watch out for her flute!"


    "Alright." Naruto answered casually, but he didn''t move. Instead, he said, "Shikamaru, you go first."


    As he said that, Naruto tossed something towards Tayuya. It wasn''t fast, and it looked like a white stick-like object. Tayuya frowned and reached out to take the object.


    It was a white bone spur, and it felt very smooth in her hand.


    Just one nce at it, and Tayuya''s arrogant demeanor vanished instantly. It was Kimimaro''s bone, and the realization made her scalp tingle. After a brief moment of hesitation, she gave up thinking entirely.


    Almost purely on instinct, Tayuya didn''t hesitate at all before turning and running away.


    Shikamaru was stunned for a moment: "What did you throw?"


    "Nothing important." Naruto replied, uninterested in exining. He then left with a parting instruction, "Wait here for the others. Once you''re all together, retreat immediately. You know I can make it back on my own."


    Naruto then turned and chased after Tayuya.


    "Hey!" Shikamaru was still a little confused, but his Chakra was almost exhausted, "Naruto, don''t go! Come back first!!"


    "I''m going to bring Sasuke back!" Naruto''s voice echoed through the forest.


    In the forest, Shikamaru, with injuries, stood on a tree trunk, and instinctively felt that something was wrong.


    But at this moment, exhaustion overwhelmed him, and when he thought of Naruto''s words that Choji and the others were all injured, he was instantly filled with a sense of helplessness and he couldn''t say anything.


    Choji and Lee slowly slowly caught up, carrying the heavily injured Neji and Kiba,nding beside Shikamaru.


    Naruto wasn''t concerned with which direction Sasuke had gone. Instead, he relentlessly chased down Tayuya.


    He couldn''t defeat Itachi, and he hoped that Itachi would die soon every day. Now, he even had a PTSD when opening the door. His pain far surpassed that of Deidara, so how could he possibly stop Sasuke from seeking revenge?


    "Are you insane? Why are you chasing after me instead of Uchiha Sasuke? Do you have a death wish?"


    "I''m going to kill you!"


    "Trash!"


    Tayuya leaped in a direction opposite to Sasuke''s, contempt and impatience written all over her face.


    "Then stop running."


    Naruto caught up with Tayuya, and swung the Kusanagi Sword in his hand directly, cutting several giant trees in half. The fallen trees blocked Tayuya''s path.


    Thetter was furious and simply stopped.


    The two of them stood on tree trunks, about twenty meters apart, staring each other down.


    In the second state Cursed Seal, Tayuya had absorbed natural energy and entered a Sage Mode-like transformation. Her appearance had drastically changed from usual, with dark red hair, ck skin, deep ck eyes, and demonic horns protruding from her head.


    "I might as well kill you right here, you bastard, trash!" Tayuya snarled, drawing out her flute.


    "Sasuke has escaped, and I killed four of your group of five." Naruto sheathed the Kusanagi Sword, his gaze fixed on Tayuya''s shocked face, and his voice became more and more bewitching.


    "Orochimaru doesn''t need you anymore, Tayuya."


    "Impossible!" Tayuya''s voice wavered as she heard that the four others had died at Naruto''s hands, "My loyalty to Orochimaru-sama is¡­"


    "Name your price." Naruto interrupted, revealing his true intentions, "Sell your soul to me."

 Chapter 99 Unlimited Debt

    Chapter 99 Unlimited Debt


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    "What the hell are you saying from the start? Just die already!" Tayuya didn''t believe Naruto''s nonsense at all.


    "I''m serious." Naruto''s tone returned to normal again, "If you go back now, you¡¯ll probably just end up rotting in some corner."


    "The Sound Four are no more. So, where does your significance lie now?"


    "You¡­" Tayuya clenched her fists, "Impossible, you must be lying to me again! Damn it!"


    Naruto paused, then spread his hands and said, "I have no reason to deceive you. Orochimaru has many good children, so he doesn''t need you. Do you really want to go back? Or rather, have you already considered the consequences of going back?"


    "Stop talking!" Tayuya punched a tree, leaving arge hole in it, "No matter what you say, I¡¯ll never betray Orochimaru-sama!"


    With the flute in her hand, Tayuya¡¯s eyes were filled with killing intent.


    "If I kill you, I can go back!"


    Hearing this, Naruto paused slightly and responded with a simple ¡®oh¡¯.


    "That won''t do."


    "No one¡¯s asking your opinion, bastard!" Tayuya was starting to lose it.


    She couldn¡¯t beat him, and she couldn¡¯t run away.


    ¡®Is there something wrong with this guy?! No, I had to get rid of him, or else my will would start to waver. What is he even talking about?¡¯


    ¡®Forget it, forget it! He is just a lowly Genin. For the sake of the red bean bun, I¡¯ll just scare him off!¡¯


    "How much are you willing to pay?"


    "Hm?"


    Seeing Naruto''s confused expression, a hint of pride shed across Tayuya¡¯s face, as if she had found a weak spot.


    "Oh? Are you starting to back off at the mention of money? Talking about buying my soul, ha ha ha." Tayuya said deliberately, "My soul is very expensive."


    "What did Orochimaru give you? I can give you the same." Naruto said, "Sell your soul to me, and I¡¯ll pay you triple."


    "I just want money." Tayuya said.


    Naruto was silent for a while, took a deep breath, and seemed to make a decision before asking through gritted teeth, "How much are you willing to sell your soul for?"


    This question left Tayuya stunned, ¡®Yes, how much would my soul cost?¡¯


    Tayuya¡¯s small, clever mind quickly calcted a price that Naruto could not afford.


    She thought, ¡®I¡¯ll just use this as an excuse to scare this lunatic off, then figure out how to escape.¡¯


    ¡®Since Uchiha Sasuke had already escaped, even if I was the only one left of the Sound Four, the mission would still be consideredplete. I am Orochimaru-sama''s subordinate, I didn¡¯t have time to waste ying games with this guy.


    "One thousand... no, ten thousand ryo!"


    Without saying a word, Naruto produced a bundle of ten thousand ryo bills that unfolded like a blooming flower in his hand.


    "Where did you get that money from?"


    Tayuya was dumbfounded. After a moment of panic, she managed to speak, "I... I¡¯ve changed my mind. Who would sell their soul for a mere ten thousand ryo?! How naive, I meant thirty thousand ryo, you bastard."


    With a swish, Naruto raised his other hand, and another bundle of bills bloomed like a flower.


    " Ah!! I mean... fifty thousand ryo!"


    With a whoosh, a handful of banknotes appeared in Naruto''s hand.


    Tayuya was instantly petrified, frozen in ce for a long time, her lips trembling.


    "One hundred thousand ryo."


    The stack of banknotes in Naruto''s hand grew thicker and thicker, far exceeding one hundred thousand ryo. He eventually began tossing the money into the forest. Halfway through, Tayuya finally couldn''t bear it any longer.


    "Stop it!" Tayuya squatted on the tree trunk, her face twisted with frustration.


    She started to regret ever epting Naruto''s offerings in the first ce, and felt a pang of pain for suddenly realizing the true value of money.


    ¡®If I hadn¡¯t been idle that time, waiting around for him just to get some grilled meat, if I hadn¡¯t spent that month following him around, eating and drinking, then maybe...¡¯


    ¡®This was simply a trap set by an evil god, setting me up step by step.¡¯


    ¡®But I had eaten so much that she couldn''t forget the food. I had nned to go back and get some money to buy food, but why did this guy have to say those things?¡¯


    ¡®Maybe I couldn''t go back anymore, as I would no longer be valuable to Orochimaru-sama. The fate of a useless pawn is just to be discarded.¡¯


    ¡®But with this guy... there¡¯s endless food!¡¯


    Naruto kept throwing money, his movements showing no hesitation.


    "Don''t throw it away! Don''t throw it away!" Tayuya couldn''t bear it anymore. She stood up on the tree trunk, the curse mark receding from her body as she crouched down, hugging her knees, and started to cry, "Why did you tell me that? It¡¯s not even my money! I could never spend it all!"


    "You¡¯re throwing so much, I can¡¯t possibly pick it all up! Waaaah!!"


    "You seem to have no concept of money." Naruto suddenly stopped tossing the bills, as if something urred to him, "Do you even know how much ten million ryo is?"


    "Get lost!" Tayuya shouted through her tears, her temper as prickly as a wild cat with its fur standing on end.


    Naruto wasn¡¯t angered by this. He jumped over to the tree trunk where Tayuya was standing,nding in front of her. He looked down at Tayuya with a calm expression, asking her once again, "How about selling your soul to me for 100,000 ryo?"


    "Shut up! If you keep talking, I¡¯ll kill you! Waaaah, my money!!"


    "Tayuya, Orochimaru doesn''t need a child like you." Naruto''s eyes had no emotion, and his gaze fell on Tayuya''s curled up body.


    "Sell your soul to me, and you¡¯ll be my only debtor."


    "Do you know what that means?" Naruto continued in an unhurried tone, as if tempting a solitary, grumpy ck cat with food.


    "Unlimited debt."


    Tayuya was silent for a while, then slowly lifted her head to meet Naruto¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were brimming with tears, her red hair hanging over her shoulders. She no longer showed any hostility or tantrums. She just stared at him for a long time before finally asking, "What does that mean?"


    "It means exactly what it says," Naruto looked down at her from above as he said, " Sell me your soul and faith, and in addition to the 100,000 ryo, you will also receive the right to lend unlimited debts."


    "Can I not pay it back?" Tayuya was also stunned.


    "Unfortunately, no." Naruto narrowed his eyes and showed a sly, viinous smile, "Debt means obligation, and I gain the right to control your life."


    "The higher the debt, the greater your obligation, and the more control I have over you."


    "For example, if you owe me one hundred ryo, you¡¯ll have to peel an apple for me."


    Tayuya seemed to understand. She sat on the tree trunk, looked up at Naruto, and showed a disdainful expression, "I''m not doing that."


    "Yes, a debt of one hundred ryo allows you to refuse any request you don¡¯t want to fulfill." Naruto said, "At one thousand, you can still refuse, at ten thousand ryo, you can refuse moderately, at one hundred thousand ryo, you must obey general requests, and at ten million ryo¡­"


    As he said this, Naruto leaned in closer, his face nearly touching Tayuya''s. He stared directly into her eyes, squinting with a sly smile and said, "I''m really looking forward to the moment when I canpletely control your life."


    "Are you Jashin?" Tayuya instinctively leaned back, trying to avoid Naruto''s piercing gaze. (T/N: Jashin means Evil God.)

 Chapter 100 The Value of Controlling a Life

    Chapter 100 The Value of Controlling a Life


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    "What¡¯s that thing?"


    "It¡¯s a god worshiped by a certain church in the Land of Hot Water. They lure unsuspecting living people into performing rituals in order to seek immortality." Tayuya exined.


    "If you say so, then so be it." Naruto shrugged as he stood up, "I don''t mind."


    "But I¡¯m not interested in anyone else¡¯s soul. You¡¯re the first debtor, and you¡¯ll be the only one."


    "You¡­"


    "Who wants to enter a debt rtionship with you!" Tayuya turned her head away.


    Naruto remained patient, his hand still extended in midair.


    Tayuya gritted her teeth, nced at Naruto, and thought carefully about what he had just said. In the end, she suppressed her anger.


    She thought to herself, ¡®As long as I took the money within the debt limit and ran away, it would be fine. If he made any unreasonable demands, I could just refuse. I¡¯d take the money and disappear, leaving him furious. Anyway, the world was so big, so he couldn¡¯t possibly track my down, right?¡¯


    Naruto was certain that Tayuya wouldn¡¯t refuse his offer. After all, it was the best option considering their positions.


    Orochimaru no longer needed her and wouldn¡¯t remember her.


    Anyway, with Sasuke sessfully defecting, Orochimaru wouldn¡¯t care whether the Sound Four, a group of expendable experimental subjects, ended up with four or five dead members.


    Even if Tayuya didn¡¯t return, Orochimaru wouldn''t bother searching for her. As Sasuke was the only sweetheart in his heart.


    One hundred thousand ryo to buy Tayuya¡¯s soul and faith was like a penny to Naruto. After all, money no longer held any meaning for him.


    If necessary, he could raise the offer, but it was clear that Tayuya didn¡¯t have much of a concept of money.


    "Then let''s get to know each other again." Naruto held out his hand expressionlessly, "I¡¯m the owner of your soul, your sole creditor, Uzumaki Naruto."


    A small, delicate hand cautiously reached out, as if testing the waters, before finally grasping Naruto¡¯s palm tightly.


    Naruto didn¡¯t seem surprised and calmly pulled Tayuya to her feet, "Did you find it?"


    "Who told you to throw the money everywhere, you jerk."


    "Show some respect. I¡¯m your creditor now." Naruto said with some annoyance as he straightened up from the pile of dead leaves, ceasing his search for money.


    The more stylish the act of throwing money had been, the more painful the act of picking it up became.


    "No, I won¡¯t! I¡¯ve already sold you my soul, and I don¡¯t owe you any money now." Tayuya said righteously.


    "The money in your hands already exceeds 100,000 ryo." Naruto nced at her.


    The sunlight was low, filtering through the sparse leaves, casting shapes of light in the swirling dust. The two stood not far apart, their lower legspletely buried in the half-meter-high pile of dead leaves.


    The scattered banknotesy atop the leaves, and both had to struggle to collect them.


    "If it exceeds the amount, then just treat it as a debt!" Tayuya puffed out her modest chest and dered righteously, "Anyway, I¡¯ve already signed that debt agreement, so I¡¯ll take whatever I want!"


    "If you are in debt, you should treat your creditor with a little more respect." As he said that, Naruto stopped picking up the money and slowly approached Tayuya through the dead leaves.


    "What are you going to do?"


    "Are you scared?" Naruto asked, not answering her question directly.


    ¡°Who¡­ who would be scared, you jerk!¡± Tayuya clenched her fists, forcing herself to sound strong, ¡°What can you even do? In the end, you¡¯re just a kid who¡¯s a little younger than me!¡±


    "Your legs seem to be shaking."


    "Shut up, you trash-brained bastard!" Tayuya cursed.


    "Ooooh?" Naruto moved closer to Tayuya, their faces so close in the thick pile of dead leaves that their noses were just inches apart.


    "You¡­" Tayuya turned her head away, her face full of disdain.


    It wasn''t until Naruto handed her the nearly 100,000 ryo bill he had collected that she actually blushed.


    "Damn it, how much do you love money?" Narutoined.


    "Mind your own business!" Tayuya snatched the money and stuffed it into her chest. "I have nowhere else to go, so of course I like money!"


    "If I don''t have money to buy food, I''ll have to resort to robbing. Doing such thing could easily attract unwanted trouble from the Shinobi Viges."


    "You¡¯re surprisingly smart." Naruto praised without hesitation.


    "That''s justmon sense! How low do you think of me?" Tayuya snapped back, though she seemed to appreciate thepliment, "Although...you''re not wrong, I am indeed smart."


    "Since you ept a debt, you should assume your obligations." Naruto said, locking eyes with Tayuya, "You¡¯re afraid, aren¡¯t you? So what exactly are you scared of?"


    "You have no experience in this area, right? Are you afraid I''ll suddenly kiss you?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about?" Tayuya retorted, still trying to maintain her bravado, "I¡¯ve been fighting since I was six, and I¡¯ve killed more people than you¡¯ve eaten bowls of ramen. That kind of thing doesn¡¯t bother me at all."


    "So scary." Naruto replied sarcastically, before suddenly changing the subject, "Your debt is now two hundred thousand."


    Seeing Naruto so close, Tayuya started to panic and shut her eyes tightly, shouting, "I don''t want to!"


    "Refusal epted." Naruto said abruptly, then moved away from Tayuya.


    "Huh?"


    Naruto had already turned and started collecting money in the other direction, not even looking back as he spoke, "You are worth far more than two hundred thousand. You have the right to refuse."


    Hearing this, Tayuya stood frozen in ce, her thoughts bing tangled and chaotic as one question kept gnawing at her mind.


    ¡®Just how much is my entire life worth to that guy?¡¯


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Naruto woke up in his bed and the empty room was unusually quiet.


    The mission had failed, and Sasuke had escaped.


    Everyone was injured except Naruto.


    Due to her sensitive identity, Tayuya hadn¡¯t followed Naruto back to the vige. Instead, she went to Tanzaku Town alone, as they had agreed.


    Tanzaku Town was a bustling town in the Land of Fire, some distance from Konoha. It had everything one could want, lodging, food, scenery, and wasn¡¯t any less lively than Konoha Street.


    The rtionship between the two is a bit like raising a cat, but not quite.


    This arrangement was something Naruto had decided on after considering the situation. After Sasuke''s defection, the next three years wouldn¡¯t be too eventful.


    Naruto needed time to grow, and Tayuya did too.


    Before the mission even began, Naruto had already declined Jiraiya¡¯s offer to train him. He just wanted to take it easy. He wouldn¡¯t believe a word from the old toad unless the sun rose in the west.


    Besides, Training with Jiraiya would be too troublesome, and the results also wouldn¡¯t be that significant.


    He nned to rely on the system for training, returning to a normal routine. First, he would finally tackle the Kyubi¡¯s progress he had been putting off and aimed to trigger more options within three years.


    Then, he would pick the right time to resolve the issue with the Kyubi sealed inside him.


    After all, he already obtained the Sealing Technique to do so.

 Chapter 101 Who Isn’t a Princess?

    Chapter 101 Who Isn¡¯t a Princess?


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    Naruto stared at the ceiling that was so white that it reflected light for a while, thinking about Sasuke. After some time, he sighed.


    ¡®There was no rain on the night of the Uchiha massacre. The entire n was ughtered by his own brother along with Obito, leaving Sasuke unable to even shed tears.¡¯


    ¡®Sasuke is one of the few rtively normal members of the Uchiha n, but he''s been forcibly pushed to this state. Itachi is truly ruthless.¡¯


    ¡®However, this also means that Itachi has already nned to give his eyes to Sasuke.¡¯


    ¡®Things are getting moreplicated.¡¯


    Naruto sat up in bed, his gaze sweeping toward the door, and he felt a chill again.


    He couldn''t help but mutter under his breath, "Damn you, Uchiha Itachi."


    Getting out of bed, he dragged himself to the bathroom to freshen up.


    Tsunade had instructed him yesterday to report back on the mission. Each of the six people had to write a mission report. After all, it was rted to the defection of the vige''s Last Uchiha.


    In the empty Hokage''s Office, the white floral curtains fluttered slightly.


    With a thud, a pen was thrown on the table.


    "I still don''t feel like writing at all." Naruto muttered, slumping back in the soft swivel chair, clearly ready to give up.


    "What did you just say, brat?"


    The rhythmic clicking of high heels echoed as Tsunade, apanied by Shizune, entered the room with a stern expression. She mmed the documents in her hand onto the desk and then grabbed Naruto by the cor, lifting him up.


    "I-I said you''re really beautiful, Tsunade-sama." Naruto stammered, nearly choking as he was hoisted up by the cor.


    "I''m going to die!" Naruto foamed at the mouth and he unconsciously reached for Tsunade''s bulging chest.


    With a bang, Tsunade tossed him back into the chair.


    "It''s taken you half a day to write a mission report, and the first line was written by me! Do you have a death wish?"


    Considering that Tsunade had been worried about him a few days ago and had even given him the Kusanagi Sword without asking for it back, Naruto obediently lowered his head in apology.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Tsunade-sama."


    Tsunade leaned back in her chair and let out a deep sigh. Shizune had already prepared tea for Tsunade and was about to pour some for Naruto when Tsunade waved her off.


    "Let him pour his own."


    "Yes, Tsunade-sama." The ageless secretary, Shizune, noticed that Tsunade seemed to be in a foul mood and stepped aside.


    Naruto blinked, unsure of what was going on, and cautiously moved forward to pour himself some tea.


    "Why are you being so cautious? Do you think I''m going to eat you?"


    "It''s not that... I, uh, got a bit hurt." Naruto said awkwardly, "You seem especially... open today, Tsunade-sama. Did something bad happen?"


    Tsunade shot him a re, folding her hands on the desk.


    "What are you doing with someone else''s fan?"


    "Huh?" Naruto was momentarily confused, "What fan?"


    Hearing this, Tsunade rubbed her forehead and looked over at Shizune beside her.


    Shizune understood and took a step forward, exining in a gentle voice to Naruto.


    "Not long after you set out, Tsunade-sama requested for assistance from Although the higher-ups of Sunagakure agreed, Kankuro''s puppet was broken by Sasuke, and it''s still being repaired."


    Shizune paused mid-sentence and looked towards Naruto.


    "Sunagakure then mentioned that Temari''s fan was taken by you. Without the fan, she essentially has nobat ability. And they¡¯re concerned about Gaaraing to aid Konoha alone, worried that..."


    "Worried about what?" Naruto frowned, picked up the teacup and took a sip.


    "They said if the next Kazekage gets beaten up by Konoha¡¯s Shinobi again, it could lead to serious problems. If things escte, they might have to invoke the emergency protocol agreement signed between the Nidaime Hokage and Sunagakure."


    "Pfftt!" Naruto spat out the tea in surprise, "There''s such an agreement between Konoha and Sunagakure?"


    "Yes, but it¡¯s set to expire in three years."


    "What''s with this sudden rush?" Naruto was speechless, "We are all Shinobi. Am I not allowed to spar with Gaara?"


    "Don''t underestimate the former Kage, you fool!" Tsunade rebuked Naruto, "If those war-crazed maniacs hadn''t died, Konoha would have been wiped out long ago."


    Hearing this, Naruto couldn''t help but wonder, ¡®It seemed Tsunade didn¡¯t seem to hold the previous Kage in very high regard either.¡¯


    "I''m talking to you!" Tsunade sat at her desk, her face stern as she reprimanded him, "What on earth are you thinking? As a man, you just robbed a fan?"


    "Where¡¯s the pride of Konoha?"


    "Huh?" Naruto was confused, "What do you mean?"


    "What do I mean? Sunagakure actually asked Konoha for a fan. Of course it¡¯s embarrassing!" Tsunade''s strong, slender finger tapped on the desk loudly.


    "You should¡¯ve taken more than only a fan. In that situation, you could¡¯ve done anything you wanted. Sunagakure wouldn¡¯t be able to pursue the matter afterward. After all, it''s a duel between Genin. Life and death are up to fate."


    ¡®I can do anything? What a lewd statement.¡¯


    However, Naruto remembered that at that moment, a system option had been triggered, and he might have done a bit more than only taking the fan.


    ¡®Temari?¡¯


    "Are you listening to me? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter now." Tsunade gritted her teeth and said, " If it weren¡¯t for the recent diplomatic ties, I¡¯d want to punch that arrogant Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin to death.


    "Isn''t she just a Sunagakure¡¯s princess? Who isn''t a princess these days? Damn it!"


    After a moment of silence, Tsunade spoke again.


    "Go return the fan to Sunagakure. Let''s put this matter to rest."


    "Where do I return it?" Naruto asked.


    ¡­


    "Isn''t this ce a bit too private?" Naruto looked up at the neon pink sign of the four-story hotel.


    Looking around, Naruto noticed Anbu on the rooftops and Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi guarding the entrance. It immediately became clear to him that he hade to the right ce.


    ¡®Tsunade really knew how to stir things up. That old woman''s mischievous actions really disgusted the Sunagakure¡¯s representatives. The eyes looking at me are too cold.¡¯


    Naruto shrugged indifferently. He spent two seconds reminiscing about all the sad moments of both this life and thest, finally suppressing hisughter before walking solemnly towards the special hotel.


    "Stop." A Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi stopped Naruto coldly.


    Naruto was startled, his mind already racing with countless dramatic scenarios of a ¡®God of War''s husband¡¯. He was about to mobilize the 100,000 soldiers to boost the performance. (T/N: God of War''s husband is the usual trope in Chinese¡¯s Urban Novel for a useless husband of a beautiful CEO, but that useless husband turns out to be a powerful person, usually a Mercenary with the nickname, God of War.)


    "Please change your shoes before entering." The Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi gestured towards a pair of disposable shoes nearby.


    "Wow, such high standards." Naruto''s excitement faded instantly. He forced an awkward smile, changed his shoes, and walked into the hotel.


    Following the guide, Naruto knocked on a room door on the third floor.


    About half a minuteter, footsteps approached from within, and the door was pulled open. Without any dramatic lighting, Temari stood there with her arms crossed, ring at Naruto with a look of disgust.


    "Pervert!" She spat.

 Chapter 102 Attacking and Defending Different Positions

    Chapter 102 Attacking and Defending Different Positions


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    "Please make way, I need toe in." Naruto said as he stood at the doorway.


    "Pervert." Temari still blocked the entrance, not letting him in.


    "Whatever, think what you want." Naruto nced at Temari, then looked to the inside of the room through her back.


    Through the white sandalwood door, the room appeared spacious, with sheer curtains billowing gently in the breeze. Sunlight poured in through therge bay windows, casting swaths of light over the downforter and an expensive carpet that Naruto couldn¡¯t name.


    "I''m here as a representative of Konoha to negotiate with you from Sunagakure. If this is your attitude, I don''t see any reason to continue."


    Temari''s expression was anything but pleasant, but after a moment, she stepped aside warily, allowing him to pass.


    Naruto strode in and immediately sat down on a chair facing therge bay window. He turned to look at Temari, then stretched outzily in the sunlight, letting out a brief groan.


    "Don''t make such weird noises." Temari muttered, her face darkening as she approached Naruto. Her long white legs were covered with fishings and she sat opposite him.


    All the curtains in the room were drawn back, and the door was wide open, allowing light to flood in.


    Although Tsunade had yed a trick on Sunagakure, it was Sunagakure who was at fault first, and it was Temari''s inferior skills that caused her to lose her fan. Now, if Sunagakure wanted it back, they could only swallow their pride.


    Even so, Sunagakure, and particrly Temari, maintained a strong stance.


    She recalled the moment during the Chunin Exams when she was overpowered by the young man in front of her. The memory made her grit her teeth in frustration.


    "Are you trembling?" Naruto''s gaze drifted down to Temari''s legs, "Sunagakure and Konoha have already made peace. I''m aw-abiding citizen of Konoha, so there''s no need for you to be scared."


    "You!" Temari shot Naruto a fierce re, turning her face away as she squeezed the words through gritted teeth, "Give me back my fan, and you can leave."


    "What fan?"


    "My fan, the Three Star Fan, you stole it." Temari was on the verge of losing herposure.


    "I forgot where I put it." Naruto replied seriously, "Maybe I tossed it somewhere, or maybe I used it to prop up a table leg."


    "Stop with the nonsense and give me back my fan!"


    "Why?" Naruto suddenly asked.


    Temari''s expression showed both anger and nervousness, and she sat down five meters away from Naruto.


    From the moment she entered the room, Temari had tried to maintain a strong attitude, hoping to exert some pressure on Naruto. But her legs were tightly pressed together, betraying her unease.


    "Because it''s my fan."


    "But it''s mine now." Naruto said nonchntly, "I took it fair and square. If you want it back, you''ll have to take it from me."


    "Konoha and Sunagakure have already established diplomatic rtions." Temari took a deep breath and said, trying to suppress her anger.


    "It doesn''t matter. Personal grudges should not be elevated to the vige level." Naruto replied slowly, his eyes scanning Temari, who shuddered violently under his gaze.


    "Can you stop staring at me like that?"


    "You actually noticed?"


    "That kind of tant staring isn''t exactly subtle, okay?" Temari gritted her teeth, wondering what the hell was wrong with this person.


    ¡®He''s utterly shameless and infuriating.¡¯


    ¡®Is he really a Shinobi from Konoha? He feels more like a viin straight out of a movie.¡¯


    "So what?" Naruto''s face suddenly turned indifferent, his eyes fixed on Temari as he said, "You intended to kill me back then, didn''t you?"


    "¡­. War is..." Temari was caught off guard, stammering and unable to form a coherent response.


    War is just like that. Genin can only carry out decisions made by the higher-ups. As a Genin, you are a soldier once you go to the battlefield. There''s no time to think about anything else in a life-or-death struggle.


    But in that moment, Temari''s mind went nk, and she couldn''te up with a response.


    "Putting the war aside, you wanted to kill me, but in the end, you and your two brothers both survived. That''s a fact." Naruto interrupted her thoughts.


    He lifted his head, staring intently into Temari''s eyes, his voice carrying a sense of pressure.


    "Yes or no?"


    "¡­ Yes." Temari replied, sweat beginning to form on her forehead.


    (Silence)


    Tap.


    Tap.


    Naruto drummed his fingers on the edge of the chair, his eyes like a deep sea, staring at Temari expressionlessly without saying a word.


    "Uh¡­" Temari couldn''t stand this feeling of oppression and turned her head away. Tears slowly welled up in her eyes due to the tension.


    The nervous tears swam in her eyes. She wanted to reach out and wipe them away, but under Naruto''s sharp, hook-like gaze, she couldn''t muster the courage.


    She thought that, in hindsight, she should have drawn the curtains, closed the door, and driven out all the sunlight, returning the room to darkness.


    In this way, she could openly be afraid, scared, tremble and shed tears in the shadows.


    Showing weakness isn''t a right everyone is born with, especially not for her, the eldest princess of Sunagakure. Her father is dead, and the vige¡¯s higher-ups had already decided to groom Gaara as the next Kazekage.


    But Gaara was inexperienced, having grown up isted and withdrawn since childhood. Because of this, it is difficult for him to grow into a respected and qualified Kazekage.


    Even though the vige¡¯s higher-ups had agreed on the decision, the actual process of training him wouldn''t be easy.


    She had to shoulder the responsibility as the elder sister, allowing her two younger brothers to rely on her. No matter what, she had to get her fan back, and Sunagakure couldn''t afford to make further concessions to Konoha.


    Just as she was about to open her mouth to break the silence, the other party spoke first.


    "Tell me, how do you n on getting the fan back?"


    Temari swallowed hard and opened her mouth for a long time before speaking. Her momentum was obviously much lower than before, "Please give it back to me, I¡¯ll pay you."


    "Money?" Naruto didn''t even furrow his brow, "I don''t need such thing. You wanted to kill me at that time, but I still let you go."


    "And now, you¡¯re asking for the fan back?"


    Tsunade had given him the task of returning the fan, ending the matter. But Naruto knew that if he simply handed it back without a word, he''d be in for a lecture when he returned.


    He had no desire to write that mission report. Sasuke had already run off, so what was there to review? Should he write in the report that he killed four of the Five Otogakure¡¯s Shinobi, and then returned after running out of Chakra?


    That definitely wouldn''t fly. The report had to be written ording to the Konoha¡¯s regtions. Originally, only the team leader needed to write one, but who knew what Tsunade was nning?


    Not only did Shikamaru have to write a mission report as the team leader, but all the other five who participated in intercepting Sasuke''s defection had to write one too, which led to that scene earlier this morning.


    ¡®Instead of going back to write a report, I might as well stay here a little longer.¡¯


    ¡®Also, was she about to cry?¡¯


    ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Naruto grinned.


    "B-but you electrocuted me back then¡­" Temari said, barely holding back her shame, "That should have made us even."


    "That''s because you insist on being stubborn." Naruto countered, "If you''d surrendered earlier, you wouldn''t have suffered as much."

 Chapter 103 Too Much Threat

    Chapter 103 Too Much Threat


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    "Beg for mercy? How can I beg for mercy!" Temari''s spirit suddenly red up again, as if she had recalled something infuriating, "You really are aplete pervert!"


    "This is just amon Shinobi tactic. There is nothing wrong with interrogating the enemy on the battlefield with torture. I would do the same no matter who it is." Naruto was not panicked at all and lied without hesitation.


    "You''re lying." Temari red at Naruto.


    That incident was the most humiliating experience of her life.


    "I''m not lying. Besides, you weren''t the first to be interrogated by me. During the Chunin Exams¡­"


    "Stop! I don''t want to listen to your perverted self-narration!" Temari took a deep breath.


    "Interrogated? Back then, you didn''t even ask me anything! You were just satisfying your sick tastes!" Temari retorted, her emotions ring up as if she wanted to shove Naruto into the nearest sewer right away.


    "What was there to ask?" Naruto smiled yfully, "Should I have asked how many people you sent to invade Konoha? What does that have to do with me?"


    "You''re the Sunagakure¡¯s princess, I couldn''t kill you, and you refused to surrender. What else could I do besides ¡®interrogate¡¯ you?"


    "Besides, I already held back a lot. It''s a different era now. Who still uses conventional Ninjutsu routines?"


    Temari knew she was in the wrong and did not insist any further.


    "The fan¡­" She asked.


    "That depends on how you behave." Naruto suddenly stood up and slowly walked towards Temari.


    "What are you doing?" Temari panicked. She was genuinely frightened by this person in front of her, "Stop! Don''te any closer!"


    "What are you afraid of?" Naruto stopped just two meters away from her.


    "Nothing." Temari shook her head in denial.


    "Are you afraid of me?" Naruto asked with expressionless face, looking down at Temari who was sitting in the chair, "Aren''t you?"


    Thetter tried to stand up, but he stopped her.


    "Sit."


    "I''m not." Temari''s muscles tensed, "I don''t know what you''re talking about!"


    "From the moment you walked in, you''ve been extremely agitated. I can tell you hate me, but," Naruto said slowly, "You know you''re not in the right, so you''re just trying to cover your fear with anger."


    "Your body remembers the pain, and that fear has grown. Tell me, am I right, Hime-sama?"


    Temari''s nails were almost digging into her flesh, but she lowered her head and said nothing.


    The two stared at each other in silence until Temari''s body began to tremble slowly. Finally, she looked up sharply and shouted through gritted teeth, "You, you bastard! What do you want?"


    "The next Kazekage should be Gaara, right?" Naruto suddenly brought up apletely unrted topic.


    Temari froze when she heard this.


    "Why are you asking about that?"


    "A war between Jinchuriki is inevitable, so of course I''ll find an opportunity to beat him up." Naruto said, "Although there is some kind of agreement, I''m the best at taking advantage of loopholes."


    "Why are you doing this?" Temari couldn''t hold back her anger anymore and said angrily, "It''s just a fan, why..."


    "Why?" Naruto''s eyes suddenly turned cold as he closed in on Temari, standing right in front of her, "You''re asking me why? Then why should I give you the fan?"


    "I took that fan fair and square. Why should I return it to you just because of some trivial vige interest?"


    "It seems you don''t understand something. I am me, and the vige is the vige."


    "I am the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki. Right now, my personal authority is almost on par with the vige''s. As long as it''s not too extreme, there''s nothing the vige can do to stop me."


    "¡­ I¡­" Temari was terrified.


    She knew that even with the fan in her hand she was no match for the man in front of her. So now, facing the aggressive Naruto, she found herself at a loss for the first time.


    "From the moment you walked in, you haven''t shown me any respect. What do you think I am?" Naruto leaned forward slightly and stared straight into Temari''s eyes.


    ¡°Three months ago, I was nothing in Konoha, but now, even if I did something horrible to you here, no one would dare to kill me."


    "What do you think I am? Someone who would apologize just because you act spoiled, and then act like some naive, gentle boy?"


    "I could have killed you back then, I can do it now, and I can do it in the future too."


    Naruto''s voice became louder and louder, nearly bing a roar. His pupils gleamed with a sinister red hue, and slowly changed shapes. The two are so close, one standing, the other sitting.


    "I''ve already told you, you were born into privilege, but don''t think everyone has to bow to you. This isn''t some friendly Shinobi game. I could kill you and your brothers anytime."


    "Now tell me, what are you going to do?"


    Temari was almost frightened to tears by the overflowing killing intent that filled the room. Her chattered as she recalled the terrifying feeling of beingpletely dominated by fear.


    "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry! Woo woo woo." Temari''s psychological defenses crumbled entirely. She was terrified, realizing that even as a big sister, she wasn''t invincible.


    Her muffled sobs echoed in therge room, tears streaming down her face like a bullied child. Her pale, smooth skin glistened with tears.


    Seeing this, Naruto thought to himself, ¡®It should be enough to scare her to this extent. I could go back and report to Tsunade without problem. Now, it¡¯s time to ease up and stop.¡¯


    Naruto had no intention of straining the rtionship between Konoha and Sunagakure too much. He did this purely to help his leader (Tsunade) to regain some standing with Sunagakure.


    It was a simple task, as making Temari cry is something that he gets used to after doing it the second time. It''s not that difficult.


    Now that his objective has been achieved, Naruto decided to stop scaring her.


    "Alright, alright, since you''ve realized your mistake, and considering Tsunade-sama repeatedly advised me not to act impulsively¡­" Naruto looked at Temari, who was sobbing with her head down.


    "Stop crying. I''ll give you back the fan."


    "Woo woo woo"


    "I said stop crying, I''ll give it back to you."


    ¡°Woo woo woo.¡±


    The more Naruto spoke, the harder Temari cried. She seemed to be unable to suppress her tears. Her eyes were like a fountain, with tears flowing uncontrobly.


    "If you keep crying, I''ll attack you." Naruto skillfully reached out and patted Temari''s head as ifforting a cat, "Stop it already. What''s there to cry about?"


    "You are a pervert! Woo woo woo¡­" The stress Temari had been under recently exploded at that moment, and in her overwhelming sense of injustice, she didn''t care who was in front of her. She clung to the ¡®devil¡¯ and sobbed loudly.


    Naruto was startled, and his clothes were instantly soaked with tears, sticking to his stomach.


    He thought to himself, ¡®It seemed I¡¯ve gone too far. I have identally pushed Temari past her breaking point. Some psychological effect, whether it was the ¡®hangover effect¡¯ or the ¡®imprinting effect¡¯, had caused her to cling to me tightly. She didn¡¯t want to let me go at all.¡¯


    After a while, Temari''s sobbing gradually subsided and she seemed to regain herposure, though for some reason, she still didn''t let Naruto go.


    "I should go now," Naruto said coldly.

 Chapter 104 The Submissive Girl, Hinata-chan

    Chapter 104 The Submissive Girl, Hinata-chan


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    After Naruto finished speaking, Temari still didn''t move, nor did she let go, though her sobbing had stopped.


    The room was silent, the only sounding from the wind howling through the forest outside.


    "Let go." Naruto said in his usual cold tone.


    He could feel Temari''s body tense up before she slowly released him, her face deeply buried in his chest, flushed and hot.


    "Here''s your fan." Naruto said, and a huge fannded on the ground with a thud. Just as he was about to leave, Temari suddenly grabbed him again, "What is it?"


    "I''m sorry¡­"


    "Got it." Naruto replied without lingering and left immediately.


    When he returned to the Hokage Tower, the mission report was already written. Judging from the handwriting, it should be written by Shizune. Tsunade was asleep at her desk, surrounded by stacks of documents, while Shizune was smiling awkwardly beside her.


    After whispering a ¡®thank you¡¯, Naruto quietly left.


    Walking out of the Hokage Tower, the bright sunlight cast sharp shadows on the ground, making him frown. Since he hadn''t brought Sasuke back, Naruto decided it was best to avoid Sakura for now.


    ¡®She needed time to calm down and gradually ept that Sasuke had chosen to leave and forge his own path.¡¯


    If one wanted to get stronger in Konoha, besides having a godlike bloodline, only Taijutsu geniuses like Guy can achieve that. Sasuke had chosen arger stage to hone his skills and pursue his own goals.


    That was his choice, and Naruto had no reason to convince him to give up his hatred and continue to stay in Konoha ying Shinobi games, being raised as thest bloodline of the Uchiha n.


    As Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha, he pondered how tofort Sakura next time, ¡®Life was like a long train ride, some people get off earlier, and perhaps it''s best to be grateful for the time spent together?¡¯


    Lost in thought, when Naruto looked up, he noticed a familiar small figure heading towards the Hyuga n¡¯spound.


    "Hinata."


    "Ah!"


    The sudden voice startled Hinata, but she rxed when she realized it was Naruto.


    The two walked side by side down the street, keeping a small distance between their shoulders.


    "Naruto-kun, have you finished your mission?"


    Hinata asked while fidgeting with her fingers. But then, as if she remembered something, she quickly stopped and put her hands down, looking uneasy.


    "It''s okay." Naruto noticed Hinata''s little movement, "I was just jokingst time, you don''t have to worry about it, Hinata-chan."


    "Okay¡­" Hinata obediently sped her hands behind her back, her gaze unsure of where to settle. She smiled nervously, then her face turned bright red again.


    "What about you? Have you been busytely?"


    "Ah, not really." Hinata replied softly. Worried that Naruto might think she was being too perfunctory, she quickly added, "Team 8 is mainly responsible for tracking and reconnaissance, so I haven''t had many missionstely."


    "Most of the time, Shino was assigned to a mission alone, so I''ve been focusing on training recently."


    The Aburame n is indeed very strong, and their abilities in both reconnaissance andbat are outstanding. Moreover, Team 8 is a reconnaissance team specially formed by Sandaime, so Hinata''s teammates often got pulled away for various special missions.


    "Hinata-chan, you''re working really hard."


    "No, not really." Hinata quickly lowered her head, "I don''t have much talent, so I have to spend more time training. I don''t want to hold mypanions back."


    "Companions are supposed to help each other. There''s no need to push yourself too hard." Naruto was in a state of rxation after the mission. He spoke whatever came to mind, his whole body warm and at ease.


    "You can''t make everyone happy, so don''t belittle yourself. I know you''ve been working hard to prove yourself, Hinata-chan, but sometimes, it''s okay to take a break."


    Hinata, as the member of the Hyuga n¡¯s main family, is not suitable for participating in certain high-risk missions. It''s also because the Hyuga n¡¯s main family¡¯s Byakugan is so powerful that it can be plugged in and used at any time like a USB drive.


    It would be fine if Hinata was exceptionally talented, but not everyone is a genius.


    "Thank you, Naruto-kun. I feel much better now." Hinata said softly, her lips curling into a small smile.


    "That''s good." Naruto replied with a smile.


    He knew that no matter what words of encouragement he offered, Hinata would feel better. Those who are favored always have a bit of confidence.


    To be honest, before Sandaime¡¯s funeral, because of his status as a Jinchuriki, Naruto didn''t dare to have much contact with Hinata, a member of Hyuga n¡¯s main family, so as not to bring trouble to Hinata.


    After Sandaime¡¯s death, before he could even catch his breath, Itachi came to capture him. Then came the matter with Tsunade and then Sasuke''s defection. It was one thing after another.


    "Are you heading home now?" Naruto asked casually.


    He had nothing to do at the moment, and if Hinata wasn''t going home, they could stroll around together. After all, going home would just mean lying down, so he might as well take a walk with this sweet girl.


    "Me? Yes, I''m going home." Hinata replied shyly, "Father sent someone to find me. It seems that he has something to tell me."


    "No worries." Naruto said, touching his face and smiling, "I was thinking of walking with you for a bit, but if your father is looking for you, I¡¯d better not. I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble because of me."


    The Hyuga n¡¯spound was just ahead, and there was no point in him going further. Plus, walking together in broad daylight might cause Hinata to get scolded when she got home.


    "That won''t happen, really." Hinata was a little flustered.


    She lowered her gaze and then cautiously looked up, stealing nces at him, clearly nervous. Perhaps she didn''t realize it, but this expression was incredibly cute.


    Naruto had to resist the urge to pat Hinata''s head. After all, in moments like this, randomly patting someone on the head just because they''re too cute is almost the same as being a creep.


    "Huh?"


    "What?" Naruto asked, feeling a bit nervous, thinking he might have been seen through.


    "Is it... really not okay?" Hinata stammered, mustering up her courage to ask.


    Naruto didn''t refuse and took a detour to send Hinata back. Although Hinata didn''t say much along the way, she seemed genuinely happy. It wasn''t until he watched her disappear into the gates of her home that Naruto finally turned and left.


    After returning home, Narutoy on the couch for a while, his thoughts drifting to the uing high-level meeting. After a moment of frustration and restlessness, he slowly closed his eyes.


    The wind chimes from the old house that he had brought over still hung in their usual spot on the balcony, ringing softly in the breeze.


    The window frame rattled in the summer wind, and the living room was so quiet that he could hear his own steady breathing.


    Ding!


    A sudden synthetic voice echoed in his mind, jolting Naruto awake. He sat up straight on the couch, and fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead.


    [Kyubi''s approval: 27%]


    ¡®The progress increased?¡¯


    Naruto, still groggy and confused, hadn''t expected the progress to go up. He had been taking things as they came, not actively trying to increase the percentage. While he was happy about the increase... the walk had happened hours ago.


    ¡®Why did it only show up now?¡¯


    ¡®Was the system malfunctioning?¡¯


    Naruto tapped his head a few times but received no response. The wind chimes on the balcony continued to ring, and after thinking it over with no clear answer, he shrugged it off and clutched the nket, returning to sleep.

 Chapter 105 Hiding Secretly

    Chapter 105 Hiding Secretly


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    The Hyuga n¡¯spound, n Head¡¯s residence.


    Hinata approached her father, bowed respectfully, and then sit with seiza posture on the tatami mat.


    She lowered her head, her eyes downcast, filled with deep respect and fear for the n Head in front of her. She didn''t dare to look up at him, nor did she dare to speak loudly. After a long silence, she finally spoke first, "Father, what do you want to talk to me about?"


    Hiashi sat in seiza posture solemnly on the upper seat, dressed in dark blue attire. His legs were thick from the long periods spent sitting in seiza posture. Hinata didn''t sit in seiza posture very often since she was a child, so she was spared from the adverse consequences.


    "The vige will soon hold a high-level meeting concerning Uzumaki Naruto." Hiashi had a nk expression on his face, with no emotion visible, and he stared straight ahead with his Byakugan, "I want to hear your thoughts."


    "I¡­ I don''t have any." Hinata replied hesitantly.


    "A Shinobi¡¯s life isn¡¯t suited for you."


    "Being too close to Naruto isn¡¯t good either. It¡¯s dangerous."


    Faced with her father¡¯s disapproval, Hinata bit her lower lip, her resolve beginning to waver.


    She could vaguely guess the intention behind her father''s words, but her father was a silent and serious man, and he would not say more if he felt it was unnecessary.


    It felt like whatever she did was wrong, and whatever she liked needed to be corrected. Whether it was her choice to be a Shinobi or her feelings for Naruto. It seemed she had never been able to satisfy her father.


    (Silence¡ª)


    Hiashi wasn¡¯t pleased with his daughter, who was naturally timid. Shecked the talent and the strong will necessary to be the n leader. The Hyuga n needed someone bold to take on the great responsibilities.


    Compared to Hinata, he was more inclined to nurture Hanabi.


    But now, Hiashi sensed something unusual. This time, there was no shy or timid response from his daughter, only an endless silence.


    "I''m sorry, Father... Please allow me to make this decision for myself. I want to be a Shinobi on my own terms." Hinata said in the most timid voice, yet it carried words of defiance.


    "It¡¯s pointless. You have no talent. Continuing down the path of a Shinobi will only be increasingly difficult for you." There was no emotion on Hiashi''s face, but his tone left no room for doubt.


    Hinata bit her lip and shook her head in refusal.


    "Father, I don''t want to give up."


    ¡­


    Click!


    The lock on the door turned slowly.


    A blonde girl, now dressed in casual clothes, pushed the door open. At the entrance, she adeptly changed her shoes, her graceful leg curves fully on disy as she bent her knees. The keys jingled as she ced them on the shoe cab. She walked barefoot into the living room.


    "Seriously, how did you end up falling asleep on the couch again?" Ino, tying up her long blonde hair, muttered as she walked, cing the food she had brought on the table.


    "What''s the matter with you giving me the key without asking, huh?"


    Half-asleep on the couch, Naruto opened his eyes, squinting at Ino''s back before dozing off again. Ino stood with her hands on her hips, but could only sigh.


    ¡­


    Afternoon.


    The two sat at the dining table, Ino looked at Naruto, who clearly hadn¡¯t slept enough, and asked with a frown, "Hey, did you even hear what I just said?"


    "What?" Naruto replied, focused on his meal, not bothering to look up, "Thanks for the treat. It¡¯s really good. You must have made it yourself, Ino, I can tell."


    "Don''t say such half-hearted and gross things, you jerk." Ino clenched her fist, tempted to smack this bastard¡¯s head with a spoon.


    "I''m being serious. It''s delicious." Naruto said sincerely.


    Having someone bring food is way better than cooking yourself. Whether it tastes good or not, just praise it first, especially from a wealthy girl, that''s a win for sure.


    "Whatever." Ino crossed her arms and turned her head to the other side, "I didn¡¯t make it."


    "No way." Naruto didn''t even pause to think. It didn''t matter who made it, as he just wanted to praise Ino, "As long as you brought it, I¡¯ll like it."


    "You bastard." Ino sighed, cing a hand on her forehead, "You¡¯ll go to any lengths just for free food."


    "I¡¯m not bringing you any more."


    Huh? Does that mean I cane over to your ce to eat?"


    "Go to hell!" Ino¡¯s face turned bright red as she remembered the maid outfit incident. "It''s all your fault. Now, every time my parents see me, they would always smile strangely. I¡¯m too embarrassed to stay at home."


    "Don¡¯t you dare bring that up again, or I¡¯ll beat you up!"


    "That was an ident! And didn¡¯t you say your parents weren¡¯t home?" Naruto retorted.


    "Ugh¡­" Ino had nothing to say to that, so she changed the subject. "What¡¯s with the key?"


    "Don''t get me wrong, I just think it''s too scary when you knock on the door every time." Naruto put down his chopsticks, stood up and said, "Please ept the key."


    "Huh? Scary?" Ino puffed out her cheeks slightly. "Although I can understand you saying that, considering what happened, but..."


    She tried to maintain herposure, but her speech quickened a bit, and her fingers unconsciously twisted a strand of her blonde hair.


    "Um... It could be easily misunderstood, right? It would be embarrassing if my parents found out that I suddenly had the keys to a guy¡¯s house."


    "Hmm?" Naruto looked puzzled, "Can''t you just hide it?"


    "Ah??"


    Ino gulped, her heart suddenly racing, ¡®Hide it? Keep it secret from everyone? Just hearing that sounded so forbidden!¡¯


    ¡®Oh no, my brain is going to burn.¡¯


    "Why are you blushing?" Naruto frowned slightly.


    ¡®I felt like I didn''t say anything lewd. It was just hiding a key. Was Ino really this honest?¡¯


    "Wh-who¡¯s blushing!" Ino stood up straight and quickly walked towards the bathroom, "I''m going to wash my hands."


    Naruto shrugged, figuring Ino had agreed. After all, it was just a spare key, no big deal. Then, he sat back down to finish his meal.


    Ino walked out of the bathroom slowly, and she seemed to have washed her face. Her hair was slightly wet, but her expression had returned to normal.


    "Have you made up your mind?"


    A breeze from the balcony swept through the living room, lifting the hem of Ino¡¯s skirt. She stood with her hands on her hips.


    "Hmph, since you''re begging me, I suppose I¡¯ll take it, begrudgingly."


    "Thank you very much." Naruto replied, ying along.


    Some timeter.


    After rinsing her mouth in the bathroom, Ino waved at Naruto, who was slouched on the couch, and said, "Let¡¯s go out for a bit. I have something to tell you."


    Naruto reluctantly set down his copy of Icha Icha Paradise and looked at her in confusion, "Aren¡¯t you supposed to report back to the Hokage Tower tonight?"


    "We''ve been busy for a while, so Asuma-sensei got us a two-day break." Ino said, letting her hair down before skillfully tying it up again, "We can''t do missions all the time."


    "What¡¯s this about?" Naruto put down the book reluctantly.


    "It''s about you." Ino grabbed Naruto''s wrist and pulled him up, dragged him to the door, then turned back with a yful yet fierce expression, "Let''s go. I went through a lot before finally found out about it from my dad."

 Chapter 106 If You Keep This Up, I’ll Get Jealous

    Chapter 106 If You Keep This Up, I¡¯ll Get Jealous


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    Bang!


    The door was closed shut.


    Naruto had a rough idea that this was about the high-level meeting. The Ino-Shika-Cho ns had always been closely allied, and if they were to take a stance, it would undoubtedly be the same one.


    Moreover, Ino-Shika-Chou¡¯s stance will obviously be affected by Tsunade''s attitude.


    Jiraiya had already left the vige some time ago, but he still retained a voting right. He¡¯d left as a nominal mentor, telling Tsunade he¡¯d be back in about six months.


    The Akatsuki was of great concern to him, so Jiraiya was nning to gather intelligence on the organization that Itachi had joined. He¡¯d already made arrangements with Naruto, promising to return every six months to teach him new Ninjutsu.


    Ino walked in front of Naruto with her hands behind her back, then turned her head and nced at the slow-moving Naruto and said, "You seem to have grown taller?"


    "Yeah, maybe I¡¯ve been eating better."


    Naruto replied. Over the past few months, his body had grown rapidly. Whether it was due to the system or just a growth spurt, he wasn¡¯t sure.


    "You used to only reach here, and now you¡¯re¡­" Ino measured with her hand, raising it above her head, "Do boys grow this fast?"


    "I don¡¯t know about others, but I definitely have," Naruto said.


    "The mission to retrieve Sasuke failed?"


    "You are quite well-informed."


    "Not really, I just guessed." Ino said, still walking ahead with her hands behind her back, "Even though I didn¡¯t have much of a rtionship with Sasuke, he was still my childhood crush."


    "With his personality, once he¡¯s set on something, he won¡¯t give it up."


    As they walked side by side, Ino mostly led the way, steering them toward a less crowded area.


    "If you keep talking like that, I might get jealous."


    "Jealous of what?" Ino responded with a yful grin, "Sasuke has always been handsome, okay? There is no girl who doesn''t like Sasuke."


    ¡°There actually is someone.¡±


    "Who?"


    "Hinata."


    Ino: "If you keep this up, I¡¯ll get jealous."


    "Jealous of what?" Naruto shot back with the same yful tone, "Hinata has always been very gentle, okay? Who doesn''t like a rich girl?"


    "Tsk, I¡¯m rich too." Ino muttered under her breath.


    "What did you say?"


    "What does this have to do with you? Pervert!"


    When Naruto first arrived in this world, it was the height of summer, and things weren¡¯t looking good. Now, in the blink of an eye, it was September. The sun zed, nts grew wild, Sandaime is dead, and Sasuke had defected.


    ¡®The situation seems to have improved, the only thing left is to unseal the Kyubi.¡¯


    "You zoned out again?"


    "Huh?" Naruto suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and saw Ino¡¯s slightly puffed cheeks and a look of dissatisfaction on her face.


    "Come with me." Ino said, grabbing Naruto¡¯s arm and pulling him toward a secluded alley.


    In a shady alley on the east side of Konoha¡¯s main street, vines crept up the walls, twisting and turning as they clung to both ends of the alley.


    Ino tugged Naruto along, quickly crossing the boundary where sunlight met shadow. As soon as they stepped inside, the temperature dropped, giving an unusual chill.


    The sound of their hurried footsteps echoed loudly in the quiet alley. Under the old walls of blue bricks and red tiles, Ino suddenly pushed Naruto against the wall.


    She furrowed her brows, trying to look serious, but since she wasn''t as tall as Naruto, the scene ended up looking somewhatical.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I told you, I have something to talk to you about."


    "What is it? You didn¡¯t have to drag me to such a remote ce, did you?" Naruto was a little embarrassed at the moment as Ino seemed unaware of how close they were standing.


    Naruto could see the soft curves below Ino¡¯s neck subtly swaying and also catch the delicate scent of a young woman standing so close. His heart skipped a beat, and a rush of dopamine hit him.


    "What¡¯s with that look in your eyes?" Ino asked disdainfully, "Why does it feel like you¡¯re getting excited? You jerk!"


    "It¡¯s nothing." Naruto said, scratching his face in embarrassment.


    ¡°Damn it! You definitely had some dirty thoughts just now, didn¡¯t you?" Ino said disdainfully, "You weren''t thinking of me as the object of your fantasy, were you?"


    "You¡¯re so beautiful, Ino, so it''s impossible not to have wild thoughts."


    "¡­ Well, when you put it that way, I guess you¡¯re not wrong." Ino turned her head away, trying to hide her embarrassment, though the attempt was weak.


    Her pale face and neck flushed a deep red, and the way she tried to hold back her shyness was extremely cute, like a strawberry cake drizzled with cream.


    "I¡­ I don''t care about such a small matter as being the object of delusion by a disgusting boy."


    "Can you remove the word ¡®disgusting¡¯?" Naruto sighed.


    "I refuse." Ino stepped back, crossing her arms with a wary look, "Don¡¯t go getting all hot and bothered over a beautiful girl, you perv!"


    "I''m sorry, but I can¡¯t forget how you looked in the maid outfit."


    "That¡¯s the most embarrassing moment of my life!" Ino growled, clearly getting flustered as Naruto steered the conversation.


    "Well, I¡¯ll never forget it. It¡¯s burned into my memory."


    "You!" Ino was so angry that her chest heaved with every breath. She swore, "You¡¯d better hope you never fall into my hands!"


    ¡°I really look forward for that day toe.¡±


    "You¡­!" Ino took a moment to calm herself, taking a deep breath before saying, "What I¡¯m about to tell you is top secret, okay? No one else can hear it."


    "Really?" Naruto asked, feigning seriousness, "Then you should get closer, it will be bad if someone overhears us."


    "Oh, alright." Ino obediently leaned in closer, only realized something was wrong after she did.


    "Ah!!! You tricked me again!"


    "I didn¡¯t trick you. If you stand too far away, you¡¯ll have to speak louder, and what if someone overhears us?" Naruto looked around and said with his hands spread out, "Anyway, you took so much trouble to drag me here, isn''t it just to avoid being overheard? If someone does hear us now, then bringing me to a secluded ce was pointless, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "Ah? You might have a point there." Ino blinked, unable to figure out what to say for a moment.


    "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re getting shy at a time like this?" Naruto teased, not giving her a chance to react.


    "Of course not!" Ino regretted the moment she said this.


    She caught a glimpse of Naruto¡¯s triumphant smile and felt her face darken, but there was no turning back now.


    "Stopughing!" Ino pinched Naruto¡¯s waist and frowned, "Listen carefully. If you miss a single word, I won¡¯t repeat it."


    "Got it." Naruto said, still grinning.


    "Damn it!" Ino red at him before standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. Her warm breath tickled his ear, and her voice trembled slightly, "I¡­ I forgot."


    "What?" He was surprised and turned his head sharply.


    Their lips were almost touching, separated by only the thinnest of spaces. Naruto could see Ino''s blue pupils suddenly widen, reflecting his face.


    Above them, the sun zed fiercely, and the chirping of birds echoed from the distant woods.


    As the summer breeze blew, a girl''s flushed face spoke volumes more than any lengthy monologue ever could.

 Chapter 107 You Want to See the Maid Outfit, Don’t You?

    Chapter 107 You Want to See the Maid Outfit, Don¡¯t You?


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    ¡®What¡¯s going on with her?¡¯


    Naruto¡¯s heart started pounding wildly. He wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, but her expression, her lips¡ªthey were just too cute.


    ¡®Damn, I could hardly hold it back any longer.¡¯


    ¡®This woman is too good!¡¯


    ¡®Where did this enchantresse from? Her approach was so outdated! Who would really forget what they were going to say just because they were too shy? She had to be lying.¡¯


    ¡®Damn it, I couldn''t let her have the upper hand.¡¯


    Both of them pretended to be calm, and they turned their heads away in sync.


    "Ah, I forgot." Ino suddenly squatted down, hugging her head in frustration.


    "Well¡­ forgetting is normal." Naruto coughed, looked at Ino, who was squatting on the ground in frustration, and suddenly called out, "Ino."


    "What?" Ino paused and looked up at him.


    "I saw your panties."


    "Aaahhh!!" Ino stood up suddenly and punched Naruto in the stomach, "Die, you pervert!"


    Naruto wasn¡¯t really hurt, but after taking the punch, he decided to just stay on the ground, looking up at Ino, who was looking down at him with contempt.


    "Get up." She ordered.


    "My ribs arepletely broken."


    "Don¡¯t exaggerate. You''re just pretending, right?" Ino also narrowed her eyes and looked at that shameless person in front of her.


    "Not really. It does hurt a little." Naruto said, "But if you do it again, I might feel better."


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    "Can''t you be serious for once?" Inoined, "I need to think carefully about what I wanted to say just now. I clearly memorized it before I left the house."


    "No rush, take your time." Naruto leaned against the wall.


    The coolness of the alley was refreshing, rxing him from head to toe, like being at the bottom of a well, avoiding the scorching sun outside.


    Ino, dressed in a casual white shirt and a deep blue skirt, stood by the old green wall covered in vines. In the alley where sunlight couldn¡¯t reach, her legs looked so white they seemed to glow.


    Ino didn''t look at him and turned away.


    However, she soon noticed that the gaze from behind her wasn¡¯t going away. She finally could not bear it anymore, then turned around angrily and walked towards Naruto aggressively.


    "Eh? Wait! Don''t hit my face!" Naruto eximed, covering his face in fear.


    Ino didn¡¯t hit him. Instead, she bent down, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "I remember now. Dad said that the vige''s higher-ups n to develop a perfect Jinchuriki, but Tsunade-sama is against it. The Advisors are undecided, and it¡¯s unclear which side they¡¯ll ultimately support."


    The atmosphere suddenly grew tense. She looked at the person, who was always noisy, suddenly became silent. His messy blonde hair covered his brows, and his eyes slowly dimmed.


    "Naruto¡­ are you okay?" Ino squatted down in front of him.


    She moved her hand slightly but didn¡¯t know what to do.


    At that moment she realized it btedly, and her heart felt like it was weighed down by a heavy stone. She began to feel sorry for the shameless and always unserious guy in front of her.


    It seemed as if everything was unfair. No one stood for him, and the word ¡®develop¡¯ felt incredibly cold.


    She didn¡¯t fully understand the situation with the Jinchuriki and only had a general understanding of it.


    In the past, she hadn¡¯t thought much of it, but the more she learned, the more she realized how contradictory the vige¡¯s higher-ups were. They never saw the Jinchuriki aspanions, only as a special weapon to be nurtured.


    On one hand, they were wary of Jinchuriki, but on the other, they were in need of Jinchuriki.


    "I''m fine." Naruto sighed as he stood up, "Let''s go back."


    "Um¡­ don¡¯t worry too much. Tsunade-sama is here." Ino tried to offer somefort but realized she hadn¡¯t thought things through. There didn¡¯t seem to be a good way to reassure him.


    For a moment, she was at a loss for words.


    After returning to Konoha Street and walking for quite a while, Ino suddenly found that the scenery around her was somewhat familiar. She turned her head sharply and noticed that they were right in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    "You should go home now." Naruto looked at her.


    "I''m not in a hurry." Ino replied, her hands behind her back, blinking rapidly as a slight panic set in.


    It felt like that unsettling silence when a girlfriend suddenly says something like ¡®It''s fine, go to sleep¡¯. A silence so heavy even God couldn¡¯t break it, leaving one feeling more uneasy than before.


    "You really should go home." Naruto repeated, ncing at Ino, "I still have some things to take care of."


    "Ah? What things? Is it urgent?" Ino¡¯s panic grew as she asked.


    On the roadside, Naruto gave Ino a quick look before answering, "It¡¯s nothing, really. Just some personal business. Thanks for the info. We¡¯re already in front of your home now, so you should head back. I¡¯m going to leave."


    With that, Naruto turned around and was about to leave.


    "It can¡¯t be that urgent, can it?" Ino''s palms were sweating as she suddenly grabbed Naruto¡¯s wrist.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto was genuinely confused, but there was actually no expression on his face.


    "I just¡­ I feel like you¡¯re in a bad mood." Ino stammered, her gaze flitting around nervously, her cheeks tinged with pink.


    "No, I¡¯m not."


    Naruto was telling the truth. He had a good idea of what Danzo was nning, but he hadn¡¯t expected the two Advisors to be so indecisive and not fully support Tsunade.


    This was something Naruto hadn¡¯t anticipated, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem. He now had the Tail Releasing Method in his hand, meaning he could turn the tables on them at any moment.


    If the n to develop a perfect Jinchuriki was approved and something went wrong, every higher-up who supported the n would be held ountable, possibly even losing their positions.


    From Naruto''s perspective, the current situation allowed him to advance or retreat strategically.


    The progress of the Kyubi¡¯s power was only at 27%. Naruto¡¯s only worry is that if the seal of Kyubi is unlocked at this time, will the progress of obtaining Kyubi¡¯s power stop?


    But if the advisors sided with Danzo, he¡¯d have no choice but to unseal the Kyubi. The tricky part was figuring out what to do with the Kyubi afterward. It would be ideal if there was a better solution.


    Although Naruto tried his best to get rid of his identity as a Jinchuriki, he also wondered if there might be a better way to deal with Kyubi. After all, releasing him might lead to him being captured, which didn¡¯t sit well with him.


    He has raised Kyubi for so long, so he has some feelings for him.


    It didn''t seem appropriate to just let him go out and be chased.


    He wasn¡¯t after the Kyubi¡¯s power, as the system¡¯s power was far greater. With abilities like Adamantine Sealing Chains and the Four Symbols Seal at his disposal, and both in their max level, the system had saved him the time of training. It was like the system was feeding him power directly, possibly even offering a full set of Forbidden Techniques in this Shinobi World.


    As for Asura and Indra, he didn¡¯t care about them at all. After all, he wasn¡¯t originally from this world.


    The Otsutsuki-raised Gods? Trash.


    Naruto really did have something to do. He wanted to find Tsunade and ask about the situation.


    But Ino thought he was just trying to be strong. Earlier, she hadn¡¯t been able to offer anyforting words, and now, seeing him about to leave, she felt even worse.


    In desperation, Ino suddenly grabbed Naruto¡¯s wrist.


    "Wait!"


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto was genuinely puzzled, as his mind was upied with other matters.


    "You¡­ you wanted to see the maid outfit, didn¡¯t you?" She lowered her head, her face flushing a deep red in an instant.

 Chapter 108 Kyubi: Is There an Uchiha Outside?

    Chapter 108 Kyubi: Is There an Uchiha Outside?


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    "Hmm?"


    "What did you just say?"


    "What? You clearly heard it!" Ino turned her face away and muttered, not daring to look Naruto in the eye.


    "Can the skirt be shorter?" Naruto asked.


    "No way! Absolutely not!" Ino replied indignantly, crossing her arms in front of her chest and making a big X with them.


    "How about wearing ck stockings?"


    "I don''t have anything like that!" Ino shook her head vigorously, her face showing a look of disdain, "You really are aplete pervert."


    "Thanks."


    "That wasn''t apliment, you bastard!"


    Ino was almost driven mad by him, feeling like she was on the verge of losing her temper entirely.


    "Forget it, maybe another time." Naruto unexpectedly declined.


    "Huh?"


    Ino was a little confused, but she felt even more uneasy. After all, such a shameless and vulgar person suddenly lost interest in something dirty, so of course it made her feel that something was wrong.


    "Aren''t you usually always going on about how you want to¡­" Ino''s face flushed, her gaze shifting away, her voice trailing off. "If you''re really in a bad mood, I don''t really know what to say."


    "You don''t have to go that far." Naruto chuckled with a hint of helplessness, "I really have something to do. Honestly, I¡¯d still love to see it, but..."


    Naruto said, pointing behind Ino, "Auntie seems to be watching us from the shop."


    "Ah?!!" Ino¡¯s expression changed dramatically, and like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she panicked. She quickly turned around and then jerked her head back, her pupils shaking in shock.


    After leaving the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Naruto wanted to go to the Hokage Tower.


    But then, considering that it was gettingte, he decided this matter wasn¡¯t urgent and headed home instead.


    He found a ce to eat, then returned home to wash up and lie down. As soon as he closed his eyes, his consciousness sank into the seal space. What greeted him was the sight of that massive red-barred cage, and the DVD yer was running idle.


    Kyubi was drowsy, barely acknowledging Naruto¡¯s presence. To be honest, Naruto hoped that Kyubi would be a charming fox spirit.


    But unfortunately, Kyubi didn¡¯t seem to get it, so Naruto had to let things be for now.


    The problem, though, was that there wasn¡¯t a suitable vessel for Kyubi to possess. The power of these Biju is too strong, and other than a Jinchuriki, there was no container capable of holding them.


    Either release them or keep them sealed.


    In fact, Naruto was more inclined to let Kyubi go, although it might cause some harm, but what would the future hold? He wanted to ask Kyubi first and let him choose for himself.


    But regardless of the choice, unsealing Kyubi was inevitable.


    "Kurama, wake up. I have something to talk to you."


    Naruto''s voice echoed in the sealed space, prompting Kyubi to reluctantly open his eyes. He seemed to have a bit of a grumpy wake-up attitude, ring at Naruto with a fierce expression.


    "Kid, if you have something to say, say it quickly. Don''t disturb me while I''m sleeping."


    "The day you get out of here ising soon, you bastard." Naruto walked up to the red bars and kicked them, then asked in an irritated tone, "I want to know where you want to go."


    "Out of here?" Kyuubi suddenly lifted his head, and a glint of light finally appeared in hisrge eyes.


    But soon that light turned into confusion, which then shifted to suspicion, and his attitude quickly became arrogant again.


    "Human, do you really think you can fool me with your lies?"


    Kyubi banged his paw against the bars, showing a face that said, ¡®I''ve already figured out everything.¡¯ He bared his sharp teeth, his face almost pressing against the cage.


    "I''ve seen through your tricks! Are you trying to use me as a shield again?"


    "There''s an Uchiha brat outside, right?"


    "No, there are no Uchiha in Konoha anymore." Naruto spread his hands and said in a mocking tone, "No way, could it be that the strongest Biju is afraid of mere Uchiha Shinobi?"


    "Shouldn''t trash like them be the ones afraid of the great Kurama, the strongest of all Biju?"


    "Not like me, living under the shadow of Uchiha Itachi every day, never feeling at ease¡­ it''s truly unbearable."


    "Uchiha Itachi?" Kyubi seemed to enjoy thepliment and said in a mocking tone, "Are you talking about that little brat who started that fire some time ago?"


    "Yeah, he''s probably the strongest among the Uchiha, right?" Naruto said, lying through his teeth.


    "The strongest Uchiha?" Kyubi gave him a disdainful look.


    "Anyway, it''s time to make a choice, Kurama." Naruto suddenly became serious, "I''m going to remove the seal and let you out."


    "Have you had enough of living?"


    "Nope." Naruto shook his head, then looked at the mountain-sized Kyubi and said, "I¡¯ve found a way to remove the seal without dying. You don''t have to worry about that."


    "What I want to know is, what do you n to do once you''re out?"


    "Destroy Konoha!" Kyubi replied without hesitation.


    ¡°Well, it''s up to you." Naruto sighed, rubbing his forehead, "But if you do that, you probably won''t get far. Do you really want to be captured again?"


    "Then what do you suggest?"


    "I don''t have any good ideas right now. I''m just giving you a heads-up." Naruto looked up at Kyubi, "Destroy the Konoha Vige if you want, just don''t step on my house."


    Naruto pulled his consciousness out of the seal space.


    Narutoy there with his eyes half-closed. The sky outside the window was gloomy and the living room was also dim.


    What he said earlier was partly to coax the fox. He wouldn¡¯t remove the seal while in Konoha. After all, if Kyubi really did as he said and destroy Konoha after he came out, then Naruto would be the one who suffered.


    Biju can''t die, so at worst, they can just start over again.


    But all the crimes they¡¯d done will be pushed onto the Jinchuriki''s head. Naruto will never be so lenient to Kyubi. After all, an obedient fox is a good fox.


    The higher-ups have already had the idea of <span>??developing a perfect Jinchuriki, even drafting proposals.


    Meanwhile, Kyubi¡¯s mind is set on destroying Konoha. If such thing really happens, no one would listen to Naruto''s exnations. Not only would he have to take the me, he might even be a Missing-nin.


    He had finally earned the right to walk around freely in Konoha, and he was just a step away from dealing with Danzo. At this point, he¡¯s told to give up everything and be a Missing-nin?


    He couldn''t ept that.


    He refused to let a mere Biju or Danzo force him into doing something he didn''t want to do.


    ¡®What does the hatred of the original body and the hatred of Kyubi have to do with me?¡¯


    With this thought in mind, Naruto slowly closed his eyes.


    But he didn''t sleep well that night. He dreamt of Kyubi attacking Konoha, with Ino and Hinata standing on a rooftop in their Chunin uniforms. Their eyes were filled with despair as a Bijudama descended upon them.


    Naruto woke up several times, drinking water in the kitchen each time, before finally managing to sleep until dawn.


    The next day.


    Naruto, who didn''t get up until noon, washed up with his eyes closed, ate some bread and milk, and went out.


    He still had no clear n about yesterday''s events. He had the Sealing Technique to control Kyubi. And with Tsunade around, Danzo would be kept in check, but these measures were only enough to serve as a guarantee for the Jinchuriki to live a stable life and they wouldn''t break the deadlock.


    He needed to talk to Tsunade and find out where she stood.

 Chapter 109 Tsunade’s Test

    Chapter 109 Tsunade¡¯s Test


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    Naruto took a detour to the Hokage''s Office, climbing to the top floor.


    The Hokage''s guards were nowhere to be seen, so Naruto didn''t hesitate and directly pushed open the door to the Hokage''s Office.


    With a creak, the door opened, and before he even stepped inside, he saw the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade, sound asleep on her desk. If he looked closely, he could even see a droplet of drool glistening at the corner of her mouth.


    The window behind the Hokage''s desk was wide open, and the white curtains fluttered in the stifling breeze.


    Naruto stood there for a while, but instead of waking Tsunade, he found three chairs, lined them up, andy down on them, making himselffortable.


    Huu huu~


    The office was filled with the sound of steady breathing.


    The clock on the wall ticked on for forty minutes before two sets of footsteps suddenly approached from outside. Three secondster, the office door was pushed open.


    Standing at the doorway were Konoha''s two gatekeepers, Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo, their armsden with documents. They froze at the sight of both Tsunade and Naruto fast asleep, one slumped over the desk and the other sprawled across the chairs.


    The two exchanged a look and then nced back to make sure they hadn''t walked into the wrong room.


    ¡®What was with thiszy atmosphere?¡¯


    "Godaime-sama! Why are you sleeping again?" Kotetsu, who had a bandage wrapped around his face, eximed, nearly dropping the stack of thick documents in his arms.


    "Ah?" Tsunade mumbled as she groggily woke up, the right side of her face imprinted with ink from a book, with a droplet of drool still hanging at the corner of her mouth.


    Kotetsu and Izumo were Chunin who usually guarded the vige gates and also served as proctors for the Chunin Exams. Before Tsunade returned to the vige, they were like bricks that were moved wherever they were needed.


    The vige gate didn''t require constant guarding, especially not at night, or during significant events, so these two important but not so important people are needed to guard the gate just to maintain decorum.


    After Tsunade came to power, she naturally needed her own aides, so she began training the duo as her right-hand men.


    As for the two previous Hokage¡¯s guards, Raido and Aoba, after serving as the guards of the Sandaime and Yondaime Hokage respectively, they were gradually being reassigned now that the new guards were being trained.


    During this transition between the old and new guards, while Kotetsu and Izumo were still getting familiar with their new roles, they were under the guidance of the previous guards.


    When there was nothing to do, they guarded the gates. When there was something to be done, they ran errands for Tsunade.


    An hour earlier, Tsunade had sent them to fetch some documents, and when they returned, they were greeted with this ridiculous scene. They were so stunned that it felt like a vein was going to burst.


    Tsunade was clearly napping and cking off, and somehow, Naruto had slipped in and joined her.


    "Oh, it''s you guys." Tsunade''s calm demeanor showed no sign of guilt for being caught cking off, "You''re back so quickly. Sorry, I identally dozed off."


    Looking at Tsunade''s habitual cking off and shameless appearance, the duo gatekeepers were very upset. Kotetsu then ced the half-human-height stack of documents on Tsunade''s desk.


    He sighed helplessly and pointed at Naruto, who was still sleeping on the arranged chairs, and asked.


    "Godaime-sama, why is he here?"


    Tsunade nced at Naruto, who was sleeping soundly in the chair, and said calmly, "I called him here. You two can leave first."


    "Yes."


    With a click, the office door closed, and Kotetsu and Izumo respectfully exited the Hokage''s office. After running their errand, they had to get back to guarding the gate.


    Once they were gone, Tsunade frowned, got up, and walked over to the sleeping Naruto, casually lifting him off the chairs.


    "Huh?" Naruto groggily opened his eyes and saw Tsunade''s angry face, "You little brat, don''t you know better than to sleep wherever you want?"


    "I have something I need to ask you, Tsunade-sama." Naruto''s survival instincts kicked in.


    "Huh?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, staring at him for a moment before tossing him back onto the chairs.


    She then walked to the window, where the scorching sunlight and lush green forest were reflected in her pupils. With her back to Naruto, she asked, "What do you want from me?"


    Upon hearing this, Naruto stood up from the chair, walked to the front of the desk, and stopped about three meters away from Tsunade.


    He got straight to the point, "I heard that the higher-ups want to train me to be a perfect Jinchuriki. Is that true?"


    "Where did you hear that from?"


    "That''s not important."


    "If the leak of high-level intelligence is not important, then what else is important?" Tsunade turned her head slightly, her face wrapped in the white sunlight looking serious.


    Naruto suddenly felt thirsty and didn¡¯t reply immediately. He casually picked up the tea cup from the desk and poured himself some tea.


    ¡°In this vige, even if a dog dies, I''ll be thest one to find out.¡±


    "Tsunade-sama, how could you think that I could learn of high-level intelligence unless the higher-ups wanted me to know? Or perhaps, this information was from a specific higher-up trying to test my attitude?"


    "Isn''t that right, Tsunade-sama?"


    Tsunade turned fully to face Naruto, rolling her eyes. Dropping all pretense, she bluntly said, "The higher-up you''re talking about is me."


    "Well, I¡¯m truly honored." Naruto said, "Tsunade-sama, you must have a reason for doing this. Even though I don''t understand it, I''m still deeply impressed."


    "Stopining." Tsunade retorted, not mincing words, "Details of high-level meetings shouldn¡¯t be leaked easily, but there¡¯s some wiggle room. Anyway, the point got across."


    "Anyway, those are what you figured it out on your own. They have nothing to do with me."


    "That''s really inconvenient." Narutoined.


    "That''s what a Hokage is like, brat. Do you think this position is sofortable?" Tsunade plopped back into her soft chair.


    "Thank you for your hard work, Tsunade-sama." Naruto said, timing his ttery just right.


    "Don''t give me that." Tsunade gave him a disdainful look, "How much truth actuallyes out of your mouth?"


    "Tsunade-sama is the most beautiful woman in Konoha."


    "Well! That¡¯s probably the only truthful thing you¡¯ve said." Tsunade seemed very pleased with this and looked at Naruto with a smile, "Well then¡­"


    "Due to variousplicated reasons and coincidences, now that you have learned of this information, what¡¯s your stance?"


    "Is it important?" Naruto asked.


    "Of course it''s important." Tsunade sat at her desk and reached for the teapot.


    Her chest was so tightly pressed that it looked like it might pop out, making the scene rather intense. Naruto couldn''t hold it anymore, so he stood up and picked up the teapot to pour tea for Tsunade.


    "Thank you." Tsunade took a big gulp, set down the cup, and continued, "I¡¯m against it. Such outdated and rigid ns won¡¯t get past me."


    After a pause, Tsunade lifted a finger slightly, her gaze locking onto Naruto¡¯s face.


    "So, I need to be sure your stance matches mine."


    "I will always stand on your side, Tsunade-sama." Naruto said without hesitation, "Your stance is mine, no exceptions."


    "That mouth of yours is your only redeeming feature." Tsunade leaned back into her chair and asked, "Do you want to hear a moreplicated exnation or a simple one?"


    Naruto thought carefully for a moment and then answered.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear both.¡±

 Chapter 110 Walking in Front of The Crowd

    Chapter 110 Walking in Front of The Crowd


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    "You really are greedy." Tsunade said with a hint of a smile on her face, "But that''s exactly something you would say."


    "You haven''t really gotten to know this Shinobi World yet, have you?"


    "Huh? I guess not." Naruto scratched his head. "I''ve only looked at the map. I roughly know the names of the leaders of the Five Great Nations and some of the surrounding smaller countries."


    "Just looking at the map isn¡¯t enough." Tsunade''s red lips curved into a seductive smile as her baster-like arm moved, tossing a thick booklet to Naruto.


    "Take a look at this first."


    "What is it?"


    Naruto caught the booklet and casually flipped through a few pages. Upon seeing Jiraiya¡¯s signature, his expression immediately became serious.


    "It¡¯s aption of intelligence your teacher Jiraiya gathered while traveling the world over the years. Part of it has been handed over to the higher-ups, and the other part is in my hands."


    Tsunade, in her usual rxed manner, fixed her gaze on Naruto.


    "You¡¯ve seen the map, so you should know that the Land of Fire is an ind country. The sea breeze blows from east to west. Compared to the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire has a lower elevation, which results in more rain and forests."


    "So, the Land of Fire has a temperate maritime climate?" Naruto frowned. "Is this also the reason why there is no drought in the Land of Fire or the surrounding small countries, and there is rain all year round?"


    "Correct." Tsunade gave Naruto the affirmation, "It¡¯s good that you can understand this. The Land of Earth and the Land of Wind are ind with many mountains and steep ridges, which block the sea breeze and form cold, condensed air currents."


    "So the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Grass, which are on the windward side, get rain, while the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind on the leeward side experience less rain over the years. Combined with the desert terrain of the Land of Wind, it easily creates a high-pressure climate. When the air sinks, the humidity will decrease, which leads to sandstorms."


    When Naruto first saw the map of the Shinobi World, the more he looked at it, the more it resembled an inverted version of a Western European¡¯s map. It can''t be said to be exactly the same, but it is quite simr.


    The origin of the Bloody Mist of the Land of Water was almost certainly based on a racism massacre.


    Whether in terms of geography or history, there were striking simrities.


    The sea breeze from the Antic blew over to the Shinobi World, and the dead geographical knowledge began to overwhelm Naruto¡¯s mind.


    The stunning realization left him deeply shocked.


    "The history of the Bloody Mist of the Land of Water ended long ago. Under the leadership of the new Godaime Mizukage, Terumi Mei, Kirigakure is rapidly rising." Tsunade added.


    "The Land of Water has built arge fleet of ships and currently controls most of the key sea routes. They¡¯ve established a maritime alliance with the Land of Lightning, which has many coastal connections, to develop Chakra-based civilian technology."


    "What is this, some kind of Sun Never Sets Empire scenario?" Narutoined. (T/N: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_empire_on_which_the_sun_never_sets)


    "Sun what?"


    "Nothing." Naruto chuckled awkwardly.


    "The Land of Wind has developed a new rare mineral. ording to intelligence, it can conduct chakra, and if mass-produced, it could change the bnce of power in the Shinobi World." Tsunade continued.


    "Meanwhile, the Land of Fire¡¯s current strategy is to avoid direct conflict with the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, while also trying to divide the rtionship between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, so that the two superpowers on the ind region will gradually split."


    "Under such circumstances, the strength of the Land of Fire is gradually declining under the rapid development of the other four great nations. That''s why the Konoha¡¯s higher-ups came up with the idea of ??a perfect Jinchuriki."


    "I was wrong, Tsunade-sama. I¡¯d like the simpler exnation." Naruto raised his hand in defeat.


    "The simple version?" Tsunade snorted, narrowing her eyes and then said a smile, "In simple terms, the future of the Shinobi World lies in peace and technological development, not in war."


    Naruto agreed with this. The wars among Shinobi hadsted for a thousand years. Given the current state of the world, the trend was toward peace and prosperity.


    Traditional Ninjutsu would eventually be reced, and new Ninjutsu and technological exploration will be the main theme of the future.


    A moment of silence passed.


    The summer breeze gently blew through the room.


    "I don''t really have any specific thoughts." Naruto said, "I understand everything you''ve said, Tsunade-sama, and I don''t want to be developed as a weapon."


    "So... my idea is to continue standing by your side, Tsunade-sama."


    Hearing this, Tsunade no longer hid her intentions. She let out a sigh and asked, "Then, are you interested in bing Hokage?"


    ¡°I have no such desire at all.¡±


    "Don''t you want to consider it?" Tsunade asked, "You are almost a natural born Kage, just like Kakashi."


    "Full of the Will of Fire?"


    "No, what I mean is that you are very shameless, just as shameless as me." Tsunade said, curling up in her soft chair and stretchingzily, letting out a faint moan.


    Naruto reyed Tsunade''s words in his mind, and thought in his heart, ¡®No wonder she said so much. It turned out that she was trying to trick me into taking over the Hokage¡¯s position?¡¯


    "Tsunade-sama, have you been using a new shampoo recently?" Naruto quickly changed the subject.


    "Well¡­" Tsunade frowned slightly, "If you want, I can give you some."


    After saying that, she seemed to have thought of something and waved towards Naruto, signaling for him toe closer.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Naruto wasn''t sure what Tsunade was up to, but he walked over anyway.


    "Bend over." Tsunade saidzily.


    He did as he was told, standing next to Tsunade and leaning closer. His vision was immediately upied by arge area of soft, creamy expanse of Tsunade¡¯s skin, so smooth and delicate it seemed otherworldly.


    Almost instantly, Naruto was caught in a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts.


    "Where are you looking at?"


    "I''m sorry, Tsunade-sama, it''s hard to look away."


    Tsunade didn''t seem angry. She grabbed Naruto''s face with both hands, squeezing and squishing it as she spoke, "I can roughly guess why you don''t want to be Hokage. If you refuse, I won''t force you to take on the role. You can live the life you want."


    "I alreasy refude." Naruto mumbled, his words slightly slurred as Tsunade continued to pinch his face.


    "I know." Tsunade didn¡¯t stop her hands, kneading his face like y, "It''s not easy for you to get to where you are today. I hope you can live a happier life."


    "At such a young age, you are more cunning than anyone else, and also look like an old man with a gloomy look."


    "That''spletely¡­!" Naruto, irritated by her pinching, reached out to pinch Tsunade''s face, "It¡¯s impossible to be happy like this! Who wants to be treated like a weapon? If anyone wants to be a Jinchuriki, let them!"


    "Damn it, do you think I have a choice in this?" Tsunade increased the strength of her grip, with a look of dissatisfaction on her face, "Let go already!"


    "You let go first!" Naruto said anxiously, "Aahh! Are you trying to kill me?"


    "You first!" Tsunade, now stubborn, retorted, "If you don''t let go, just wait and see how I¡¯ll beat you up!"


    Under Tsunade¡¯s tyranny, Naruto was the first to give in and reluctantly let go of his hand.


    "You''re dead!" Tsunade grabbed him, and Naruto, closing his eyes and bracing for a beating, but instead, he found himself pulled into an unexpectedly warm embrace.


    "With me here, the path you walk won''t be as hard as before. You won''t have to hide anymore. You''ll be walking at the front, with everyone behind you."

 Chapter 111 The Stray Cat

    Chapter 111 The Stray Cat


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    Late at night, Naruto walked home along the brightly lit streets of Konoha. The vige was still bustling, with the streets glowing like ribbons of light. Even though night had fallen, more and more people were gathering outside, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere.


    Naruto casually enjoyed his grilled eel as he walked, but Tsunade''s words kept echoing in his mind.


    She had told him that now, with her as his support, he didn''t have to endure hardships anymore. From now on, his path would be smoother, and he would always be at the forefront, surrounded by others.


    And so it seemed. Ever since Tsunade had dragged him to her inauguration ceremony and made him stand beside her in a close and familiar manner in front of everyone, no one in the vige had shown him any hostility anymore.


    However, who could predict what the future held? Naruto didn¡¯t dwell too much on it. After all, Tsunade was not omnipotent, and he still had his own responsibilities to take care of.


    As he walked along the main street, he stopped at a corner and bought some takoyaki.


    While waiting for his order, a familiar figure in the crowd not far away caught his attention. After taking a quick look, Naruto was instantly stunned.


    ¡®Why is it her?¡¯


    A bad feeling welled up inside him, and his instincts told him to get out of here quickly. He looked at the takoyaki on the stall and urged, "Boss, can you make the takoyaki faster?"


    "Huh? Burned? No, no, you must be mistaken, dear customer."


    The skinny boss with gray hair seemed to have bad hearing. However, his hands were quick, the oil sizzled, and the smelling from the brightly lit stall was mouthwatering.


    "Forget it, I don''t want it anymore." Naruto said, unable to wait any longer. He quickly walked away.


    "Customer." The old man showed a puzzled expression, but he could no longer find the customer.


    Without even turning his head, Naruto quickened his pace, silently cursing his luck. After blending into the bustling crowd, he finally felt somewhat relieved.


    Turning his head slightly, Naruto confirmed that the figure had not caught up with him, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®What a close call. How could there be such a coincidence? If I ran into her now, it would be really awkward.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d better go home quickly, it''s too dangerous outside.¡¯


    "Um¡­ I¡­"


    A familiar voice suddenly sounded in his ears, and Naruto turned around suddenly and gasped.


    Temari suddenly appeared, with her giant fan strapped to her back, and she stood beside him with a flushed face. Her face was flushed, her eyes were unfocused, and she bit her moist lower lip, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t.


    The dim streetlight illuminated her face, making her seem as if she had been bullied by someone.


    "Fancy running into you here," Naruto said with an awkward smile, his eyes scanning the surroundings, ready to bolt at any moment.


    The incident of returning the fanst time was really beyond his expectations. Initially, he just wanted to vent his frustration for his superior by scaring Temari a bit.


    But as a result, things escted, he became murderous as he was talking and identally frightened her to tears, ending the situation in a rather messy way.


    Lately, Konoha and Sunagakure had grown closer. After blocking off the Land of Earth, only the Lands of Fire and Wind remained as the superpowers in the ind region.


    It just so happened that both sides had lost their Kage and were tricked by Orochimaru, which left them in a weakened state. So, the two sides simply decided to reconcile. In order to curb the increasingly close rtionship between the Lands of Lightning and Lands of Water, the two great powers quickly formed an alliance.


    Naruto originally thought it would be best not to meet Temari again in the future, but he didn''t expect the awkward meeting toe so quickly.


    ¡®It had only been two days since ourst encounter, how awkward.¡¯


    "Yeah, fancy," Temari muttered, her usual strong demeanor absent. She quickly looked down, her face turning even redder.


    ¡°Well, since it''s such a coincidence, let''s reward ourselves by never seeing each other again." Naruto said with a nervousugh and started to walk away.


    "Wait, please!"


    Naruto felt a tug on the corner of his clothes, and instinctively turned around to frown at Temari.


    "Let go."


    Temari gasped softly and immediately released her grip, her face showing a look of fear that made it seem like she was about to burst into tears.


    ¡®There were a lot of people on the street right now. If someone saw me making the eldest princess of Sunagakure cry, there was no doubt Tsunade would drag me back to her office for a beating.¡¯


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯


    Naruto gritted his teeth and, just before Temari¡¯s tears could spill over, he leaned in and harshly whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t cry!¡±


    "Wuwu." Temari¡¯s tears welled up in her eyes, her eyshes fluttering rapidly as she bit down on her lower lip, her face flushed red. She looked like she was trying hard to endure the shame.


    For some reason, Naruto seemed to catch a glimpse of a strange emotion in Temari''s eyes at that moment.


    ¡®It doesn''t seem like anger.¡¯


    ¡®There are so many weird people these days.¡¯


    "Hey, don''t cry here!" Naruto¡¯s gaze turned cold as he covered Temari¡¯s mouth with his hand, "Don¡¯t make a sound."


    Seeing that no one around them was paying attention, he roughly dragged Temari toward a more secluded area away from the crowd, gripping her wrist with no gentleness.


    "Mmph." Temari''s face suddenly grew hot, and she followed Naruto obediently without saying a word.


    In the dark alley¡­


    With a thud, Temari was pressed against the wall by Naruto, who asked her with a fierce look in his eyes, "Why are you following me?"


    "¡­ I''m sorry." Temari averted her gaze, and the tears she had been holding back finally began to fall.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Naruto rubbed his forehead, the dim light of the alley making his frustration evident, "Why are you apologizing out of nowhere? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to cry?"


    "I¡­" Temari couldn¡¯t get any words out through her sobs.


    ¡®This is ridiculous.¡¯


    Suddenly, footsteps were heard at the entrance of the alley, apanied by voices asking if anyone had heard crying. This scared Naruto so much that he quickly mped his hand over Temari¡¯s mouth.


    He pressed his body against hers, holding his breath.


    They were only about two meters away from the lighted alley entrance, with their bodies pressed together, hidden in the shadows. Naruto¡¯s head was turned away from Temari¡¯s, making them look like a couple embracing.


    He could feel Temari¡¯s heart pounding wildly and her tears streaming down uncontrobly as his warm breath brushed against her ear.


    "I just heard someone crying, howe the voice suddenly disappeared?"


    A few footsteps approached, and several young men walked past the entrance of the dark alley.


    "You must¡¯ve heard wrong."


    "Could they be inside the alley?"


    There was a brief silence before one of them spoke up, "Then why don¡¯t you go in and check?"


    "Screw you, it¡¯s so dark in there. You¡¯d probably y a prank on me. No way I will go!"


    Amid a chorus of boos, the group¡¯s footsteps gradually faded away.


    Naruto let go of Temari and pulled her out of the alley, back into the light. He nced at Temari, whose lips were smeared with saliva, and then down at his hand, which was wet with her saliva.


    Without hesitation, he wiped his hand on Temari¡¯s clothes, his face full of impatience as he said coldly, "I''m leaving now. If you keep following me, I won¡¯t be so nice."


    Naruto originally thought that Temari would be angry orsh out at him, but he didn''t expect Temari to freeze up instead. She reached out as if to grab his clothes again but then quickly pulled back as if she¡¯d been electrocuted.


    Her eyes were red and swollen, her face pale, and as she opened her mouth to speak, tears began to fall once more, "Don''t chase me away, I¡¯ll be good¡­"


    Ding!


    ¡­

 Chapter 112 Strange Attributes

    Chapter 112 Strange Attributes


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    [Option 1: Spend the night with Temari. Reward: Jashin¡¯s Dog (The object of Hidan''s faith, which contains and suppresses all consciousnesses, and is restricted by the caster).]


    [Option 2: Drive Temari away. Reward: Jashin¡¯s Blessing (One-time Immortality)]


    ¡®Jashin¡¯s Dog? Jashin¡¯s blessing?¡¯


    Naruto was stunned, ¡®How did this suddenly involve Jashin? Isn¡¯t that what Hidan worships? Tayuya joked about me being a Jashinst time, but that was just a joke.¡¯


    Now, these options seem a bit off. The idea of immortality doesn''t really appeal to him. With Kyubi and Tsunade around, it is basically impossible for him to die so easily.


    Compared to immortality, what interested Naruto more was the reward for the first option.


    ¡®Is Jashin¡¯s Dog a real dog?¡¯


    ¡®If possible, I wanted to stuff Kyubi into it.¡¯


    ¡®Since he doesn''t want to be a fox, be a dog.¡¯


    ¡®If Kyubi turns into a dog, then things will be easier, and I can release him at any time. In other words, even if I shed the burden of being a Jinchuriki, Kyubi can still be contained.¡¯


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter where Kyubi wants to go, as long as he doesn¡¯t cause me any trouble.¡¯


    Without much hesitation, Naruto chose the first option. He''d give Kyubi a surprise, and finally, he could genuinely call it a ¡®good dog¡¯.


    "Stop crying already." Naruto sighed, "I''ll take you back."


    The system didn¡¯t specify where to spend the night, so they could stay anywhere. In short, the system''s guidance was a bit dim-witted.


    "Can you please not chase me away?" Temari said with a blushing face, "I¡¯ll be good."


    "This is different¡­ What¡¯s up with you anyway?" Naruto was a little confused. "You¡¯d better exin, or I¡¯ll chase you away immediately. I know Konoha¡¯syout better than you, so you won¡¯t be able to catch me."


    This barely veiled threat was enough to make Temari nervous.


    "No, wait, I¡¯ll talk." Temari said, her hands fidgeting behind her back, then she said with a somewhat uneasy look, "I don''t know myself. It¡¯s just¡­ I just feel safe being near you."


    ¡®Safe? Was she that scared?¡¯


    Naruto¡¯s face showed no emotion, but he was already thinking about how to use this toplete the mission given by the system. As for conscience, he didn''t have that kind of thing.


    ¡®If she was genuinely frightened, this matter could be exined as temporary dependency, which might onlyst a few days or a week at most.¡¯


    Thinking of this, he coldly nced at Temari again, concluding that she likely only had a mild case. After all, he hadn¡¯t released too much killing intent and had backed off right after scaring her.


    "I can choose not to chase you away." Naruto said, "But you have to stay with me for the night. You¡¯ll have to exin things to the Sunagakure¡¯s side. I don¡¯t want to get reported."


    "Is this a mission?" Temari blurted out some incredible words.


    ¡®Why was there an abnormal blush on her face when she lowered her head?¡¯


    ¡®Why does this person seem a little strange?¡¯


    ¡®Forget it.¡¯ Naruto didn¡¯t think too deeply about it. After all, being scared like this could be considered a mental illness. It¡¯s better to be lenient with someone unwell.


    "You can think of it that way." He replied.


    They were in the southeastern part of Konoha, a quieter area where most residents had already turned off their lights. The streetlights were sparse in the night.


    Bringing her home obviously carries a greater risk of exposure and may also cause unnecessary trouble, so Naruto felt it would be better to go directly to the hotel where Sunagakure¡¯s people is staying. After all, they just needed a ce to stay.


    Although there are great risks in going deep into the enemy¡¯s territory, this is Konoha, so Naruto is fearless and not overly worried.


    "Then let¡¯s go to my room," Temari suggested nervously.


    She is the kind of girl with such a good figure that people think it is reasonable for her to wear a skirt. When she is too nervous, her legs would start moving slightly on their own.


    Maybe from sweating, her pale legs were pressed tightly together.


    "Alright." Naruto didn¡¯t refuse, thinking aboutpleting his mission while also looking at her legs.


    Naruto found himself extremely impatient with Temari, or perhaps it was more urate to say he had no desire to be patient with her. This was an unusual situation, almost as if he had an innate dislike for her


    It might be because he had let her off during the Chunin Exams due to her status, and now every time they met, he had to be mindful of her status. Whenever Temari showed even a hint of her usual stubbornness, it seemed to set him off, making him unusually irritable.


    When she paused, Naruto couldn¡¯t help but re at her with cold eyes again.


    Temari trembled under his gaze, her face showing a mix of hurt and timidness. Mustering up the courage, she asked, "Does it trouble you... to be around me?"


    Naruto didn¡¯t answer, but he wondered if he had used that trick himself before. It had been so long that he couldn¡¯t remember. But then he abruptly said, "Let''s go."


    Without waiting for her response, he grabbed Temari¡¯s hand and roughly dragged her forward. He shot her a cold nce, pinching her face as he warned, "Don''t let me hear those meaningless words next time."


    "¡­Sorry."


    "Don''t say that either."


    "Yes."


    Walking on the road, Naruto asionally used his peripheral vision to observe Temari beside him. He silently came to the conclusion in his heart that someone as strong-willed as her wouldn¡¯t just break down like this without a reason.


    ¡®Judging from Temari''s current condition, it seemed like she was dealing with something mild, possibly a result of long-term repression.¡¯


    ¡®I had scared her as a fluke, and now she was having a bit of a breakdown.¡¯


    ¡®Generally speaking, this situation will notst too long, and everything will be fine once she gradually regains herposure.¡¯


    At the hotel where Sunagakure¡¯s people had been staying, Naruto noticed how deserted it was. Due to the alliance between their viges, most of the Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi had already left Konoha. Aside from Temari, only a few people remained.


    "They left yesterday." Temari exined in a small voice. The emptiness of the hotel gave it a cold, deste feel as a few remaining Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi were busy with their luggage.


    The sound of their footsteps echoed in the brightly lit hallway as they walked to a room. Temari quickly entered the room without turning on the lights, while Naruto stood idly at the doorway, not interested in prying into someone else¡¯s space.


    Click, the light in the room turned on.


    The warm yellow glow filled every corner of the room. Temari stood by the door, looking somewhat flustered and too nervous to meet Naruto¡¯s gaze. She kept her head down as she said, "The room is a bit messy, pleasee in."


    She had only been inside for a few minutes, so there wasn¡¯t much to tidy up. Whatever she was doing in the dark, Naruto didn¡¯t bother to guess.


    The two sat on the couch, a steaming cup of tea on the table between them, creating a slightly awkward atmosphere.


    "I''m leaving tomorrow too." Temari said uneasily, crossing her legs and clutching the hem of her clothes with her hands, "I¡­ I wasn¡¯t trying to cling to you on purpose."


    "It''s just¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me."


    ¡°Ever since that day, everything has felt strange."


    He sat there with the steam rising from his hot tea, not seeming inclined to respond. He stared at Temari for a long time before finally giving a half-hearted reply.


    "Oh."

 Chapter 113 This is My Sincerity!

    Chapter 113 This is My Sincerity!


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    Temari froze for a moment, her eyes starting to well up with tears again.


    Naruto felt it was necessary to guide her appropriately, if only to secure a quiet night for himself. He looked at Temari, pondered for a moment, and then spoke, "Temari, if you want me to help you, you have to show the appropriate sincerity."


    "I''m very busy. Every day, I have to do many meaningless things. But these meaningless things are more important than you. Do you understand?"


    His original intention was to make Temari behave and warn her to keep her distance from him, but as soon as the words left his mouth, Naruto felt something was off.


    "I-I understand. What do you want?" Temari straightened her posture, sitting almost on the edge of the sofa, clearly too nervous.


    "I don''t want anything." Naruto replied coldly, leaning back into the sofa, "The point isn''t what I want, it''s about what you have."


    "I can give everything I have." Temari said, a bit too eagerly.


    "But I don''t need it," Naruto said tly.


    Naruto''s calm demeanor remained unchanged as he watched Temari through his deep blue eyes, with no ripples in his heart.


    "What you''re going through is only temporary. Once you leave Konoha tomorrow and return to Sunagakure, you''ll start to feel better."


    "It''s not like that!" Temari suddenly stood up, her hands folded in front of her chest in distress.


    "Sit down."


    "¡­. Okay." Temari awkwardly sat back down, her hands brushing the edge of the sofa.


    Naruto reached for the teacup on the table and studied Temari through the rising steam, ¡®My judgment was correct, her condition was only temporary.¡¯


    ¡®While her behavior was strange, it was starting to normalize, as evidenced by her attempt to argue back.¡¯


    In short, there was no need to pay too much attention to Temari. She was just going through a rough patch, and it would pass in a few days.


    Having made up his mind, Naruto fell silent, continuing to sit on the sofa to pass the time.


    "Please wait a moment." Temari suddenly said, standing up again. But she froze when she met Naruto''s gaze.


    This time, however, Naruto didn''t tell her to sit down. He just stared at her for a few seconds before saying, "Don''t leave this room until dawn."


    "Okay."


    Temari nodded, and then began to rummage through her belongings, pieces of underwear were turned out and scattered on the ground. Naruto, adhering to a ¡®no harm in watching¡¯ mentality, kept his eyes on Temari as she knelt by the wardrobe.


    ¡®Lustrous blonde hair, skin as white as fresh snow, isn''t wasn''t the Land of Wind supposed to be a desert country?¡¯


    ¡®It seemed that, despite the harsh sunlight and terrain, the girls from Sunagakure turned out quite beautiful. Chiyo? Okay, maybe not Chiyo. But the younger ones were all quite attractive.¡¯


    Temari¡¯s limbs were slender, and her figure was perfectly proportioned, as if blessed by the heavens. Watching her like this was certainly pleasing to the eye.


    But the moment Temari pulled out a pair of fis stockings, Naruto instantly lost hisposure.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Temari let out a soft yelp and quickly turned around, hiding the fis stockings behind her back embarrassedly. Her face suddenly turned red, and she spoke hesitantly, ¡°This is my sincerity.¡±


    "I don''t¡­" Naruto initially intended to say he didn''t need it, but then he reconsidered and swallowed his words silently, "Okay."


    Temari''s condition was likely tost only a few days, and she would probably return to normal after a good night''s sleep. Naruto had no intention of taking advantage of her, he just wanted toplete the task at hand.


    ¡®But, as the long night stretched ahead, admiring the fis stockings wasn''t a bad way to pass the time. Well, it was certainly better than sitting idly.¡¯


    With that thought, Temari happily took her ¡®sincerity¡¯ into the bathroom.


    This time, it was Naruto''s turn to be restless. To be honest, the visual impact of fis stockings was a bit overwhelming to him.


    In order to avoid losing hisposure, he clutched his water cup, ready to take a tactical sip if necessary.


    "Um¡­"


    The bathroom door opened, but Temari didn''te out right away. Naruto was sitting on the sofa at the side of the room, so he naturally couldn''t see what was going on in the bathroom next to the door.


    ¡°Could you turn off the lights?¡±


    Temari''s voice carried a strange, forbidden undertone, as if she had discovered a new world on the Inte for the first time. Even Naruto, who is usually as steady as an old dog, felt his heart begin to race.


    "Why turn off the lights?" Naruto asked and thought to himself, ¡®If the lights were off, how could I see the fiss? Are you trying to show me a glowing watch?¡¯


    "I''m... a little embarrassed." Temari admitted, "I only brought one pair of stocking with me. But... if you really want to see¡­"


    "No need, your sincerity doesn''t have to go that far!" Naruto quickly took a tactical sip of water, "Put on your clothes before youe out, damn it!"


    "Okay¡­" The voiceing from the bathroom sounded a little disappointed.


    Naruto coughed awkwardly and shook his head, trying to dispel the images that had formed in his mind. Temari''s ¡®test¡¯ had clearly gone beyond what he was prepared to handle, and he''d almost answered wrongly.


    ¡®Only one pair of stocking, and she wanted the lights off, huh?¡¯


    When she finally emerged, the lights were still on, and Temari, thankfully, was fully dressed, and everything was harmonious except that she was not wearing shoes. The only difference was that she was now wearing the fis stockings on her legs.


    Naruto chalked it up to Temari''s current ¡®illness¡¯. He wasn''t interested in taking advantage of her, but he figured there was no harm in legally admiring the fiss.


    ¡®Even if she returned to normal in a few days, the worst she could do was scold me a bit, and that was that.¡¯


    Still, he couldn''t help but be struck by the powerful visual impact of those fis stockings. Temari''s legs weren''t just slender, they were smooth and perfectly rounded.


    They were like freshly cleaned turnip¡­ white, smooth, and with a hint of the toned muscles that came from years of Shinobi training.


    Most people''s legs don''t stand perfectly straight, even if they try, there''s always a slight curve. Even if the calves are slender, it''s hard to show that kind of temperament, as they always feel covered with dust andck of taste.


    But Temari''s legs, encased in the fis stockings, were perfectly straight, her skirt entuating the curves, and her eyes carried an enigmatic, dangerous allure.


    "This is my sincerity." Temari said quietly as she sat down on the sofa, her gaze lowered.


    "I can already feel your sincerity." Naruto replied, ncing at her fis-covered legs, "If that''s the case, I might consider helping you."


    Temari blushed and suddenly fell silent.


    Naruto wasn''t in a hurry. He continued to observe Temari quietly, waiting patiently.


    To him, Temari was a patient, and if he hadn''t met her tonight, it would have been none of his business. But now that he had epted the mission and put forward conditions, he naturally had to be patient.


    Naruto may not be a good person in the true sense, but he is definitely a person with principles and ethics.

 Chapter 114 It’s Just a Mission

    Chapter 114 It¡¯s Just a Mission


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    "After that time, I started feeling strange." A trace of uneasiness appeared on Temari''s face, and she twisted her hands and stammered, "I''ve been having nightmares and getting distracted easily."


    Hearing this, Naruto withdrew his gaze and his expression became more serious.


    "Nightmares? What do you dream about? Me?"


    "No." Temari shook her head, a trace of sadness that was inconsistent with her age appeared on her youthful face, "I dream about my father, the Yondaime Kazekage."


    ¡®Oh, family issues.¡¯


    Naruto took a tactical sip of water, his eyes fixed on Temari, gesturing for her to continue.


    "Father wanted to kill Gaara. I could see the hatred and fear in his eyes every time he looked at Gaara." Temari said, gripping her thigh tightly, "Father is not a heartless person. He is a qualified Kage. But when it came to Gaara¡­"


    "Gaara wasn''t always the way he is now. He used to call me ¡®nee-san¡¯ when he was younger." Temari''s voice began to waver, on the verge of tears, "Butter, because of father''s actions, he became irritable, and even Kankuro is afraid of Gaara."


    Seeing that Temari was about to cry again, Naruto interrupted her by tapping the edge of his cup, "There''s nothing I can do about that. I''m a Jinchuriki too, and I constantly feel the urge to kill. I even fantasize about turning the higher-ups into dogs and keeping them on my balcony."


    "In terms of being messed up, Gaara and I are about the same."


    "Uh¡­" Temari was taken aback for a moment, but quickly waved her hands and said, "No no no! That''s not what I meant."


    "Gaara has changed. After the Chunin Exams, we made up."


    "Is that so?" Naruto was a little embarrassed, then rubbed his chin and said, "I might''ve just revealed a pretty big secret. Did you hear all of that?"


    "Huh?"


    "Did you remember it?"


    "This¡­" Temari didn''t know how to respond, so she managed to squeeze out a sentence, "Sumimasen, I''ll try my best to forget it."


    "No need. I could just silence you."


    Temari pursed her lips, suddenly stood up, walked towards Naruto, and sat next to him very boldly.


    The sofa was just big enough for one person to sitfortably. If two people sat on it, it would be a bit cramped, which could lead to some idental contact.


    Naruto didn''t push her away, after all, this wasn''t something he asked for. Temari was practically leaning on him now.


    He had boundaries, but they weren''t many.


    Temari hummed, "I started having these nightmares, and every time I woke up, I felt the need to find you. I don''t even know why you''re always on my mind. Even though I know you don''t like me, I still want to be near you."


    ¡°I wasn''t like this before.¡±


    "But the closer I get to you, the more at peace I feel. I can''t stand the suffocating anxiety anymore. I think I might be beyond saving."


    Naruto remained silent, treating her words as just another symptom of her current condition.


    ¡®It was a shame I didn¡¯t have a recording device with me. If I could record this part, I could use it to tease Temari once she was back to normal.¡¯


    At this time, the clock on the wall showed that it was already past 12:30 AM.


    Click!


    The lights suddenly went out.


    Naruto felt something warm wrap around him, and a pair of watery eyes shone brightly in the darkness. Temari leaned her head on his shoulder, hugging him tightly.


    Naruto found it somewhat boring and wasn''t moved by this at all.


    Just as he was about to push Temari away, he suddenly heard her speak in a low voice, "Just this once, let me hug you this once. You can do whatever you want."


    Naruto sighed, telling himself not to hold it against someone who wasn''t in their right mind. Thankfully, Temari didn''t make any further moves, she just hugged him and then started crying her heart out.


    She talked in broken sentences about her two brothers, but hardly mentioned anything about herself.


    "Mother''s thoughts were always focused on Gaara, and she passed away not long after." Temari mumbled as she curled up in Naruto''s arms, "Now, father is gone too, and Gaara has to be the Kazekage."


    Sunagakure wasn''t entirely united. There were still many who harbored deep hatred and fear towards Gaara.


    Even though Gaara was the son of the previous Kazekage and the Jinchuriki of Shukaku, ascending to the position of Kazekage wasn''t as straightforward as it might seem.


    There won''t be bloody battle, but some people definitely need to be cleared out.


    Gaara''s transformation has won the support of most of the elders, and they''ve almost unanimously decided to groom him into a qualified Kage.


    As the eldest princess of Sunagakure, Temari has no way out. The weight on her heart and the burden on her shoulders were overwhelming the moment she learned of the death of Kazekage.


    Throughout the night, Naruto had a terrible headache, listening to Temari''s intermittent ramblings. Sometimes, she''d start crying as she spoke, and after crying, she''d begin to fidget.


    Fortunately, no matter how angry Naruto was, he didn''t throw her off the sofa. He endured it and somehow got through the night.


    The next day, early morning.


    A mechanical synthetic sound woke Naruto up and he suddenly opened his eyes.


    [Jashin¡¯s Dog (The object of Hidan''s faith, which contains and suppresses all consciousnesses, and is restricted by the caster) was sessfully granted.]


    Sensing the movement, Temari also drowsily opened her eyes. At this time, her skirt was barely serving its purpose. Naruto nced over and then quickly looked away.


    ¡®Not bad.¡¯


    Temari¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t fully open, but like a cat, she crawled up Naruto¡¯s body. Her lips moved closer, her half-closed eyes glistening. Her neckline was wide open, and the holy light was protecting her body.


    In his mind, Naruto repeated a hundred times not to take advantage of a patient, and he forcefully pressed his hand against Temari¡¯s face, pushing her off and onto the ground.


    "I''m leaving now." He said.


    It was the same routine, the same feeling, just in a different ce.


    But this time, Temari didn¡¯t panic. She just sat on the ground, looking up at Naruto as he stood up, "Can you stay a little longer?"


    "No." He refused very bluntly, "I''m not staying here for you, I have other reasons."


    Temari shook her head and smiled softly, "I don''t mind. Can I see you again in the future? I want to stay by your side."


    Naruto was already by the window, ready to leave. Hearing Temari''s words, he turned back and said, "If you remain as weak as you are now, my answer is no."


    "Whether it¡¯s supporting Gaara¡¯s rise to power or your own training, if you can¡¯t bring value to me, it¡¯s best we don¡¯t meet again."


    "We¡¯re just using each other, we don''t owe each other anything. Nothing happened. You''d better forget me quickly after you¡¯re clear-headed, because I¡¯ll forget you just as fast. Understand?"


    With that, Naruto leaped out of the window, disappearing silently into the thick fog of dawn.


    Temari remained seated on the ground, staring silently at the open window.


    The cold morning wind blew in, making Temari shiver.


    Suddenly, her face turned bright red. She let out a soft cry, covered her face with her hands, and started breathing heavily. Her eyes instantly became clear, no longer dazed.


    "How could I!!! How could I!!!"


    Thest bit of unease in her heart had dissipated over the night. It was as if she had poured out all the emotions she had umted over the years. Temari¡¯s mind was now calm, like entering the Sage Mode.


    All the shameful memories came rushing back to her mind. She covered her mouth tightly, tears of embarrassment streaming down her face.

 Chapter 115 Maybe It’s Better Not to Meet At All

    Chapter 115 Maybe It¡¯s Better Not to Meet At All


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    Naruto was tormented by Temari so much that he almost didn''t sleep all night, and he returned home with dark circles under his eyes.


    Click!


    He opened the door.


    He first headed to the bathroom to freshen up. After drying his hair, he skillfully copsed onto the bed. Although the night wasn¡¯t without its gains, as he at least had obtained the container for sealing Kyubi.


    Staring at the ceiling, he closed his eyes. When he woke up again, it was already evening, and his head felt heavy.


    Naruto groggily sat up, dazed for a moment. After washing up, he left home with his hands in his pockets, heading towards Ichiraku Ramen. The streetlights cast their glow, and the night was bright.


    As the evening breeze blew, he clenched his fist.


    ¡®Now, I have both the Tail Releasing Method and the Biju¡¯s container, which means I can get rid of my Jinchuriki identity at any time.¡¯


    At Ichiraku Ramen.


    "Shikamaru, Choji?" Naruto paused at the entrance of the ramen shop, the lights shining on the faces of the three people, "Why are you here?"


    Choji raised his bandaged hand, "Just got out of the hospital."


    Shikamaru had his usual dead-fish eyes, "Picking him up from the hospital."


    "Then let¡¯s have some barbecue. My treat," Naruto suggested.


    "Yay!" Choji raised his hand in full agreement. As for Shikamaru, he shrugged, lookingpletely indifferent.


    The three of them headed to a barbecue restaurant, choosing a seat by the window. After ordering a dozen tes of meat and some juice, the three began eating and chatting.


    "It''s really a headache. Sasuke ran off, and the mission failed." Shikamaru said with some frustration, swallowing a piece of meat. He sighed and turned to Naruto, "I have to ask, howe you don¡¯t seem to care that Sasuke ran away?"


    "What should I feel?" Naruto took a sip of juice and leaned back in his chairfortably, "You don''t understand. Sasuke will seek revenge sooner orter."


    "You..." Shikamaru frowned, "I¡¯m beginning to suspect you let Sasuke go on purpose, but... I still have to thank you."


    "Why are you thanking me for? What if I did let Sasuke go on purpose?"


    "That''s not important." Shikamaru leaned back in his chair, looking extremelyzy, "My n almost got everyone killed. The gap in power between the two sides was too great. Leaving someone to face the enemy one-on-one was the worst strategy."


    "Everyone is fine in the end, right? You don''t have to dwell so much on it." Naruto said, sipping his juice and ncing at Shikamaru out of the corner of his eye, "There¡¯s no point in worrying about things that didn¡¯t happen."


    "Yeah, Shikamaru, you''ve done a great job." Choji said between bites, managing to offer reassurance.


    Hearing this, Shikamaru stopped overthinking and joined Naruto in serving Choji the grilled meat. The table fell into afortable silence, free of any awkwardness.


    The meat sizzled on the grill as Choji ate heartily.


    Moths fluttered around thempshade above them, while the clinking of sses from nearby tables filled the air. The fan turnedzily, and the rising steam highlighted the peaceful expressions of the trio.


    A couple walked past the window, and the girl''s floral skirt was blown up by the night wind. The three people inside the restaurant squinted their eyes tactically as she passed.


    "By the way, Naruto," Shikamaru suddenly spoke up, "You''ve been getting pretty close to Ino recently. Ino has been mentioning you from time to time."


    "Though not always in a good way." Choji added, swallowing another piece of meat, his eyes squinting, "Like, saying you¡¯re too intense or something."


    "Really?" Naruto didn¡¯t react much, continuing to ce meat on the grill for Choji. He actually couldn''t be used to eating too greasy grilled meat, and just a little bit was enough to make him lose his appetite for it.


    Choji, on the other hand, needed a lot of fat for his training, so he could quickly burn it off duringbat to replenish Chakra and energy.


    "Our rtionship is indeed pretty good." Naruto said, his eyes flickering slightly, "As for being too intense, don¡¯t tell me you guys didn¡¯t catch the color of the panties that just walked by."


    Shikamaru: "Drink more water."


    Choji: "This barbecue is great. Naruto, you should have a few more pieces."


    Naruto didn¡¯t eat, instead raising his hand and calling out, "Could we have ten more tes of barbecue, please?"


    Sizzle!


    Thest few pieces of meat were ced on the grill by Choji. Naruto instinctively raised his hand to order more, but Choji quickly grabbed his hand and said, "That''s enough. If I eat more, there won''t be any room left for a midnight snack."


    Choji was the type who would never skip a midnight snack, so making room in his stomach was standard practice. Hearing this, Naruto sat back down.


    As they took a break to digest the food, Shikamaru suddenly brought up Sakura.


    Naruto was stunned for a moment, then quickly remembered that he had seemingly forgotten about Sakura. There were too many things going on recently, and he had been constantly on the move. If Shikamaru hadn''t mentioned her, he wouldn''t have remembered at all.


    "I''m not really sure how to face her, especially since I didn''t bring Sasuke back."


    "This is not your responsibility alone." Shikamaru said, almost slouched in his chair, his head tilted back as he stared at the ceiling, "He himself wanted to leave. No one could have brought him back."


    "He didn''t give anyone a heads-up before he left. It''s not like we could know what he was thinking."


    "I haven''t thought much about it. For now, I don''t know what to say to her, so maybe it''s better not to meet at all." Naruto said, his hand resting on a ss, the red watermelon juice reflected in his eyes.


    "Take care, customers."


    The server said as the three of them left the barbecue restaurant and prepared to go their separate ways on the streets of Konoha.


    With a sudden thud, the two gatekeepers jumped down from the rooftop andnded in front of the trio. Before Shikamaru could ask, Kotetsu turned to Naruto and said, "Naruto,e with us to the Hokage Tower. Tsunade-sama wants to see you."


    "Now? What''s it about?" Naruto looked confused.


    "Yes, it seems that someone from Sunagakure specifically requested to see you." Izumo added.


    The Hokage Tower was brightly lit.


    By the time Naruto arrived, Tsunade had already left, leaving her secretary, Shizune, to take Naruto to meet thest group of Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi who were about to leave.


    When Shizune led Naruto to the reception room and he saw that the only person from Sunagakure was Temari, he immediately understood.


    Shizune was present, and she skillfully exchanged greetings and polite pleasantries with Temari.


    "The Land of Fire and the Land of Wind are allies¡­"


    Listening to Temari and Shizune¡¯s conversation, Naruto quickly grew bored. His gaze drifted towards Temari, and as he nced her over, he noticed she was asionally looking at him out of the corner of her eye.


    The corners of Naruto''s mouth twitched slightly. He wasn''t sure if she had fully recovered, but her confident demeanor while talking to Shizune suggested that she had moved past her previous mood.


    Under the lights, Temari''s smile was as radiant as a blooming flower.


    Naruto didn''t dwell on it, zoning out as he stared at a corner of the room. It wasn¡¯t until Temari mentioned his name and began thanking Konoha for their understanding and assistance to Sunagakure that he tuned back in.

 Chapter 116 I Have the Key, So I Come Whenever I Want

    Chapter 116 I Have the Key, So I Come Whenever I Want


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    Temari also acknowledged Konoha¡¯s efforts in fostering rtions between the two viges, and put forward a tentative idea for further strengthening cooperation in people''s livelihood.


    As Naruto was starting to doze off, Temari walked up to him. Sensing something, he looked up to see her smiling face.


    "Thank you," she said.


    "Ah, no problem." Naruto replied, unsure of what exactly she was thanking him for, ¡®So she called me over just to say thank you?¡¯


    "I have a little gift for you."


    Temari said, handing him a small palm-sized gift box before turning and heading out.


    Naruto casually tossed the box in his hand, which was unusually light, and a bad feeling immediately crossed his mind. As Temari hadn¡¯t gone far, a thought suddenly shed through his head.


    Shizune stayed behind in the reception room to organize the content of the previous conversation and record it in the writing for Tsunade to review.


    "I''m leaving first."


    "Okay." Shizune replied without looking up.


    After bidding her goodbye, Naruto quickly walked down the corridor. He looked around, but Temari was nowhere in sight. Guessing a random direction, he finally spotted her figure at the far end of a long hallway.


    Under the hallway lights, Temari''s slender back and long, fair legs, smooth as white turnip, exuded a mature aura.


    "Wait a minute." Naruto called out to her just as she was about to leave the corridor.


    "What''s wrong?" Temari turned around, looking at him with a puzzled expression from across the long hallway.


    "Let me touch it." Naruto said calmly, without changing his expression.


    Hearing this, Temari fell silent for a moment, then angrily responded, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You pervert!"


    Naruto at the other end of the corridor listened to Temari''s scolding with an expressionless face, letting it go in one ear and out the other. Without saying anything, he turned and walked away in the opposite direction.


    As Temari watched Naruto¡¯s figure gradually fade into the distance, she stood there for a while with her lips pursed. Then, she took a few steps and turned into another corridor. In a ce where no one could see, she slid down against the wall and sat on the ground.


    In the dim hallway light, her eyes showed a strange expression.


    She thought she might be back to normal in a few days, but right now, it still felt a bit too much.


    Leaning against the wall, she slowly stood up, and a smile tugged at her lips as she thought about the gift she had given him. It was as if she had finally managed to win a small victory. Slowly, she got up and left.


    "I look forward to seeing you next time." Temari murmured.


    At the entrance of the Hokage Tower.


    Naruto opened the gift box as he walked, and a ck line appeared on his forehead.


    "Who does she think she¡¯s messing with? Damn it."


    Muttering to himself, Naruto walked away with a bored look on his face.


    When he returned home, he suddenly realized he needed to take a bath. The summer night was just as hot. With a muddled and unclear state of mind, he stepped into the bathroom, filled the tub with water, and sank into it.


    ¡®The high-level meeting would likely be held in theing days.¡¯ The hot water submerged his body and Naruto leaned in the bathtub with the bathroom door wide open, without any defense.


    His mind drifted back to what Tsunade had said, and he thought that this uing high-level meeting would likely involve a broader group, not just a small circle with Tsunade, Danzo, and the two Advisors.


    The n Heads of the big ns in Konoha generally considered part of the broader higher-ups, having a voice in matters. If Danzo took this opportunity to involve all the n Heads and get them to take a stand, it could significantly weaken Tsunade¡¯s authority and decision-making power as the Godaime Hokage. It would even allow Danzo to openly suppress her faction.


    This wasn¡¯t a conspiracy, it was an open strategy.


    But since Tsunade hadn¡¯t discussed it much with him, Naruto naturally wouldn''t be so tactless as to ask questions. Whether the meeting went in Tsunade''s favorrgely depended on how she handled it.


    Just as he wasfortably soaking, he suddenly heard the sound of keys turning in the door.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    Before Naruto could react, the door burst open with a loud bang, and Ino''s voice rang out.


    "You! You! You!!! You pervert!"


    Ino kicked off her shoes and quickly rushed to the bathroom door, where she screamed at the sight of Naruto soaking in the tub.


    "Why didn¡¯t you close the door while you were bathing?"


    "There''s no one else at home, so why bother?" Naruto said with dead-fish eyes, "Not only am I leaving the door open, but I also don''t n on wearing clothes either."


    "Ah!!! Pervert, greedy pervert!" Ino turned her face away, her cheeks flushed, "You, you, you!!! Get out here!"


    With a ssh, Naruto stood up from the bathtub. Ino immediately covered her eyes and bolted out of the bathroom, leaping onto the sofa to hide.


    "What are you doing here sote?" Naruto came out wrapped in a bathrobe and asked while drying his hair, "Aren''t you worried Auntie might be concerned?"


    "I¡­" Ino suddenly realized she didn''t have a good answer, "I have a key, so I cane whenever I want."


    "Yes, yes, of course." He said to Ino as if he was coaxing a child, "You have a key, so you can indeede anytime you want. But did you keep it a secret from Auntie?"


    "Ah?" Ino opened her lips slightly, looking adorable as if she had just remembered something, "I forgot! Mom must have known that I came to your ce."


    "So, why did youe here?" Naruto asked again in a roundabout way.


    This time, Ino was a little slow to react and blurted out the answer, "Tsunade-sama told me that you and..."


    Halfway through her sentence, Ino suddenly mmed up, eyeing Naruto warily before saying, "Nothing, I just couldn''t sleep, so I came over to check on you."


    "Tsunade-sama, huh?" Naruto frowned, "That woman really has too much free time. She is already the Godaime Hokage, but she still doesn''t do anything serious all day."


    Ino sat obediently on the sofa, her body stiff and unmoving, feeling extremely nervous.


    She had identally sold out Tsunade due to a slip of the tongue, and now, there was a guy wrapped only in a bathrobe standing right next to her.


    "Wait a second, I''ll change my clothes and take you home." Naruto said without looking back, and walked straight into the room, "Help yourself to some water."


    Ino remained motionless, sitting dazed on the sofa. Even when Naruto came out wearing his clothes, she hadn''t moved.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    "I... don''t feel well." Ino said, her mouth turning downward slightly.


    "Then don''t go back. Stay here for the night." Naruto said as he walked toward the entrance, putting on his shoes, "I''ll go tell Auntie so that she doesn''t worry."


    "Wait!" Ino couldn''t sit still any longer. She rushed to the door, grabbing his arm with wide eyes, asking in disbelief, "Are you crazy! Are you really going to go?"


    "Aren''t you feeling unwell?" Naruto had already put on his shoes and pretended not to understand, "It''s such an important matter, so there¡¯s no way you¡¯re faking it, right?"


    "You''re not allowed to go! Come back here!" Ino''s face flushed and she grabbed Naruto''s arm tightly.


    "Alright, I won''t go, but you need to give me a reason." Naruto said calmly.

 Chapter 117 Doing Things Others Don’t Know About

    Chapter 117 Doing Things Others Don¡¯t Know About


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    ¡°I¡¯m not happy!¡± Ino said frankly.


    "Why?" Naruto looked Ino up and down, "Did Tsunade-sama say something that made you so angry?"


    "I''m not angry."


    "Okay, you''re not angry." He nced at the door, then back at Ino, "So, are you nning to stay here tonight, or go home?"


    Ino hesitated for a moment, "Go home."


    ¡®Good, her rationality was still intact. This made things easier.¡¯ Naruto took off his shoes and led Ino back to the living room.


    "Wait a minute."


    The water was boiling in the kitchen, crickets chirped outside, and beyond the window, the night was pitch ck. The light in the living room was clear and steady, like a lighthouse in a dark sea.


    Standing in the kitchen, Ino watched as Naruto prepared cocoa and quietly said, "I''m not angry anymore."


    "What did Tsunade-sama say to you?" Naruto asked.


    "She said... She said you took the panties from the Sunagakure¡¯s Princess, so you two must have¡­ have¡­" Ino trailed off, not finishing her sentence, "Well, it¡¯s actually not a big deal."


    "That Godaime Hokage is really..." Naruto was speechless, feeling Tsunade really didn¡¯t act like a responsible person.


    "It''s just a pair of socks, and I already threw them away."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah."


    There was a click as the water finished boiling.


    "Let me do it." Ino pushed Naruto towards the living room, and he went along, lying down on the couch.


    He nced at the dark night outside, then back at Ino bustling in the kitchen, and suddenly felt a sense of what married life might be like.


    ¡®Although Temari''s incident had been a bit of a hassle, but in the end, nothing really happened. I guess she has returned to normal now.¡¯


    Naruto was also relieved that he hadn¡¯t taken advantage of the situation. Otherwise, Temari wouldn¡¯t have represented Sunagakure in extending a gesture of goodwill towards Konoha before she left.


    Although this matter didn¡¯t directly involve him, being specifically called upon did connect him to it. At the very least, the written records of Temari and Shizune¡¯s conversations would have some impact during the high-level meetings.


    After all, the handling of the Jinchuriki was the first significant matter Tsunade had to deal with after the loss of the Last Uchiha during her tenure as the Hokage. In other words, it was a power struggle between the old and new factions inside Konoha.


    Everyone assumes that Kyubi and the Jinchuriki are inseparable, and that there is a certain possibility of creating a perfect Jinch¨±riki.


    But in reality, Naruto nned to release Kyubi, and even found a new container for Kyubi.


    "What are you thinking about?" Ino came out carrying cocoa, pulling the lounging Naruto up off the couch with an annoyed look, "Get up."


    "I was thinking about when I''ll get to see a maid outfit, no, a maid with ck stockings."


    "You pervert!" Ino gritted her teeth.


    "But there¡¯s no such outfit here, and I left those clothes at home, so it¡¯s really a shame."


    "No worries, I have one," Naruto immediately responded.


    "Eh?" Ino backed away ten steps and looked at him with disdain, "Why would you have something like that? Pervert!!"


    "I¡¯ve always had one."


    "You''re definitely a pervert, aplete pervert!"


    "Isn''t that perfectly normal?" Naruto was puzzled, "It''s good to have a few sets stored away, just in case."


    "You are really not just a pervert!" Ino pressed herself against the wall, the light in her eyes fading, "That stuff should just disappear!"


    ¡­


    Late at night, on the streets of Konoha.


    The two walked side by side, asionally exchanging a few words.


    "The high-level meeting should be tomorrow, right?" Ino said, with her hands behind her back. "I heard from my dad that the Yamanaka n will also make a statement, but we share the same opinion as the Nara n and the Akimichi n."


    "The Ino-Shika-Cho trio has always been united." Naruto murmured, "That¡¯s just how it is."


    "You don''t have to worry, we¡¯re all on Tsunade-sama¡¯s side." Ino said, "Tsunade-sams is really amazing, you know, she¡¯s one of the Legendary Sannin and now, the Godaime Hokage."


    "Yeah, I guess." Naruto said.


    "Anyway, don''t worry." Ino nced at Naruto out of the corner of her eye, noticing that he seemed to be growing taller. He no longer wore his forehead protector, and his golden hair fell freely around his face.


    "Okay." ," Naruto didn''t say much more.


    "Um... The fireworks festival is in a few days. Are you going?" Ino asked.


    "When?"


    "Three dayster."


    ¡®Three dayster? The 23rd¡­ I think it was Ino''s birthday, I can''t remember exactly. Oh well, I''ll just ask Shikamaru and Choji tomorrow.¡¯


    "Then, are you going to wear a yukata?" Naruto asked.


    "Duh, how could I not wear a yukata to a fireworks festival?"


    "Then I''ll definitely be there."


    "¡­ You really are¡­"


    Because Naruto''s mind was preupied with the uing high-level meeting, he felt a bit tense. It was not until they reached the Yamanaka Flower Shop that he snapped out of it.


    "I should head back now." said, ncing at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, "It seems that my parents have already gone to bed. It''s already sote."


    "Go ahead."


    Naruto didn''t leave immediately, but watched as Ino walked to the door of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Ino reached out to push the door, but then she froze. No matter how she tried, the door wouldn''t budge.


    "Locked?"


    She looked up at the window, which seemed to be locked too.


    She called out a couple of times, but there was no response.


    In the end, Ino returned to the big tree with an outrageous expression on her face. She pointed at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, then at herself, and was so shocked that she couldn''t speak.


    "Looks like you missed the curfew. What a shame."


    "It''s only eleven!" Ino''s face turned bright red.


    "Maybe Uncle was too tired from work. Anyway, you can''t get back in now." Naruto grabbed Ino''s arm and pulled her over.


    "Come on, let''s go back."


    "Where to?" Ino quickened her pace to keep up, the night breeze lifting her hair as she held it down, "But... I don''t have any clothes."


    "I have three sets of maid outfits, four sets of aprons, and..." Naruto began listing off, but quickly got hiseuppance as Ino pinched him hard on the waist.


    "Go to hell, you pervert! I¡¯m not wearing any of that it!"


    "Really? We look like a couple right now."


    "What!! No... There''s no way that''s true!" Ino hurriedly denied it, "Don''t say such weird things! My parents will hear it!"


    They continued walking back, bantering along the way.


    "Ino, your face is so red."


    "Huh? Maybe it''s because it''s too hot." Ino was a bit flustered from being exposed.


    To divert the topic, Ino asked quietly, "Um... I mentioned I wanted to secretly hide itst time, right? Like keeping it from my parents and all, but now it seems like I can¡¯t even keep the keys hidden."


    She was referring to how she often visited Naruto''s house, feeling a bit uneasy about it.


    "Well, even if they know, there''s nothing we can do about it." Naruto suddenly took Ino''s hand, and she froze, her bright blue eyes widening like ss marbles as she looked at him.


    He stared directly at her face.


    "What?" Ino''s eyes were brimming with moisture.


    "Then, let''s do something they don''t know about." He suggested with a hint of mischief.


    "Have you ever held hands with anyone else?"


    "Do my parents count?" Ino''s voice trembled.


    ¡°No.¡±


    "What about with other girls?"


    ¡°I¡¯m envious.¡±


    "What''s there to be envious of? You''re holding hands with girl right now, aren''t you?" Ino was so nervous that her palm quickly became sweaty. She tried to pull away but found her hand firmly held.


    "Your hand is so soft."


    "Stop saying things like that. It''s too embarrassing." Ino bit her lower lip, her face flushed, "¡­ It makes me ufortable."


    Naruto enjoyed seeing this softer, more vulnerable side of Ino. Despite her usual bravado, a little pressure would make Ino panic, and she couldn¡¯t maintain herposure.

 Chapter 118 Is It Nice?

    Chapter 118 Is It Nice?


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    "Now we have one more secret that no one else knows about. Let''s keep it between us." Naruto said.


    Ino''s reaction was intense, her hand was warm and soft.


    Letting herself be led, she followed Naruto back home in a daze, as if they had gone for a long walk and then returned.


    With a bang, the door was pushed open. Without waiting to turn on the lights, Ino pulled her hand away and rushed into the bathroom with a flushed face.


    "Are you okay?" Naruto knocked on the bathroom door from the outside.


    "I¡¯m fine!"


    There was no light in the living room. Narutoy on the sofa, thinking it would be a while before Ino came out, so he simply closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink into the seal space.


    Drip.


    Drip.


    Naruto opened his eyes suddenly, and the mountainous figure of Kyubi appeared before him. The DVD yer was ying nothing, but Kyubi wasn''t dozing off as usual, instead, he was staring intently at Naruto.


    It was as if Kyubi had known Naruto woulde, and his face was full of wariness and caution.


    "What have you done this time? There''s a disgusting smell on you."


    "Is there?" Naruto sniffed himself and looked up at Kyubi, "Does spiritual consciousness have a smell?"


    "Of course it does." Kyuubi replied in a tone that suggested he was lecturing a younger generation, "You''ve been tainted with another scent, something like a curse. Anyway, brat, stay away from me."


    Naruto thought about it and realized that the ¡®curse¡¯ Kyubi mentioned was likely from the system''s Jashin¡¯s Dog.


    ¡®Even in the seal space, Kyubi could sense it, which meant it could potentially contain Kyubi.¡¯


    In truth, Naruto was more interested in containing Danzo, hoping to get a dog with a Sharingan that could use Izanagi.


    But Danzo''s currentbat power is really outrageous. Without the proper tools, he felt it was best not to confront Danzo. After all, dealing with Kyubi¡¯s situation was still the priority.


    "Kurouma, are you scared?" Naruto suddenlyughed, with a hint of smugness in his voice.


    "How could I be scared? I just don''t want to get too close to you."


    "I see. My apologies then." Naruto said this, but he couldn''t stop smiling, "Kurama, how about we have a good talk?"


    He realized his moral bottom line were slipping lower and lower, to the point where he was even trying to deceive a fox.


    "What''s there to discuss with a human brat like you!" Kyubi looked down on Naruto, with his huge fox head resting outside the red bars and his eyes looking particrly fierce.


    "Get lost, you cursed brat. Stay away from me."


    "You''re going to make me sad talking like that. Don''t you have any feelings for me at all?"


    "Feelings? With you? Can you even talk like a human and not like..." Kyubi couldn''t show facial expressions, but somehow Naruto could see disdain in his eyes.


    "To be honest, Kurama, I''m the one who cares about you the most." Naruto moved a bit closer, "Everyone outside just wants to take your power. They''re either trying to seal you away or treat you like some kind of offering."


    "But I''m different. I never thought of using you, and I''m always thinking about giving you freedom. If you don''t believe me, go out and ask around. You won''t find a Jinchuriki as good as me anywhere in the entire Shinobi World."


    Kurama shifted its gaze, staring at Naruto with a doubtful look but remained silent.


    "Do you know what life Shukaku goes through? He¡¯s locked up all day, chatting with some old man, andter, he is sealed into the body of a little jerk, being suppressed all day long."


    Naruto attempted to appeal to Kurama''s emotions, trying to make it understand the difference in living conditions among the Biju.


    "Look at you. You can watch DVDs every day and you get to eat whatever you want. Aren''t these enough to satisfy you? All of these are things I¡¯ve had to work my butt off to afford. I barely able to spend on myself."


    "I''m barely making ends meet, working hard to save money to buy you toys and food. I¡¯m already 30 million ryo in debt, and I hide from ce to ce every day for fear of being hacked to death by debt collectors."


    As Naruto spoke, he covered his face with a look of pain. If he could cry, he would have tears streaming down his face in the seal space.


    Kyubi was annoyed just by looking at him, and his brain felt like it was about to split after listening to Naruto''s long-winded exnation.


    "Is everything you said true?"


    "Of course it''s true! I, Uzumaki Naruto, never lie."


    "Hmm, considering you''ve been providing for me, I¡¯ll believe you this time." Kyubi said hesitantly, "But don¡¯t get too cocky, this is what you should be doing."


    "As a Jinchuriki, I am guilty. It is all my fault that Kurama-sama has suffered. I repent every day. I often wake up from nightmares. The indescribable guilt makes me want to die to atone for my sins."


    "Uh... no, you don¡¯t have to go that far." Kyubi didn''t know what to say for a moment.


    "I must. I¡¯m going to take on three more jobs for Kurama-sama, even if it kills me from exhaustion."


    Naruto''s acting became more and more smooth. He thought about all the sad things he could think of in his previous life, forced out a few tears, and copsed on the ground.


    "It doesn''t matter if I work like a horse. I¡¯ve had a miserable life since birth. If serving Kurama-sama can give my life a little meaning¡­"


    "Even if it''s just a little, I''m willing."


    Kurama was somewhat swayed, looking at the wretch lying in the seal space, remembering how he had torn through his parents, and suddenly felt a bit guilty.


    "Kid... get up first, don¡¯t act like I¡¯m¡­"


    "Huh?" Naruto suddenly noticed that his consciousness was gradually fading, as if he was being pulled out of the seal space.


    "Howe he fell asleep on the sofa again? It''s really a headache."


    "The lights in the living room aren¡¯t on. Aren''t you afraid of catching a cold sleeping here?"


    Naruto suddenly opened his eyes, just in time to see Ino bending over, wrapped in a towel. Her wet hair hung down, and a drop of water fell on his cheek.


    "Ah!" Ino had one hand holding her towel tightly, but she was still startled.


    The living room was pitch ck, only the orange light from the bathroom allowed them to see. Naruto, waking up on the couch, could only see Ino enveloped in the bright, thread-like light.


    Her skin, flushed red from the bath, was as vivid as a blooming flower. Ino suddenly felt like she had nowhere to hide, her expression one of feigned anger, but she didn¡¯t scold him.


    "Is it nice?" Ino unexpectedly asked.


    "Cough cough cough!" Naruto choked, bending over in a fit of coughing. He quickly muttered, "I''ll get you some clothes," before rushing into the room.


    After saying that, Ino''s face turned bright red and she began to regret saying such thing.


    ¡®But Mom said that if I didn''t say something like that at this time, I wouldn''t be able to impress a man at all, and I would probably just losepletely. Still¡­ it was so embarrassing.¡¯


    ¡®Although there¡¯s an unexpected reaction from that idiot, it was unexpectedly cute.¡¯ Ino stood beside the sofa with her eyes looking down, trying her best to suppress her smile.

 Chapter 119 Knowing The Heavens

    Chapter 119 Knowing The Heavens


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    With a soft click, the light was turned on.


    Ino was stunned and stood motionless.


    She was wrapped only in a towel, fully exposed under the light, her pale thighs on disy. The boldness she had felt moments ago vanished in an instant.


    When Naruto realized that Ino was even more adorable than he had imagined, his mind went nk. He was almost certain that Rino must have taught her daughter some dangerous tricks.


    History has proven that human beauty begins when clothing is put on. Like mountains obscured by mist and water hidden by mountains, people always praise the majestic and mysterious high peaks shrouded in fog and the rivers cloaked in clouds.


    The same goes for young girls.


    Shakespeare used sos to praise a close same-sex friend, but that didn''t stop Naruto from applying the sentiment to Ino.


    He couldn''t take his eyes off Ino at all, and it wasn''t because of therge towel she wore, but because of everything beyond it. The girl''s blushing face, the way she bit her lower lip, her timid gaze, and her awkwardness.


    At this moment, it was clearly an endless midsummer night outside the balcony ss window, a summer that even the Gods boasted about, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the beauty of the girl before him.


    Ino, still holding onto the sofa, couldn''t look away either. She had originally just wanted to y a little trick, but when she noticed Naruto''s intense gaze, who was holding a coat, her breathing quickened.


    It was an indescribable look, nothing had happened, it felt as if a lifetime had passed in his eyes. And when he finally looked away, it was as if a rainy day funeral had just concluded in his heart.


    "Here¡¯s your clothes."


    "¡­ Thank you." Ino reached out to take them, feeling a strange sense of loss.


    Their eyes met again, and they both instinctively looked away.


    After a long silence, Naruto stood up and said awkwardly, "I''m going to take a bath."


    Bathing three times a day, even the Toad Sage would have shed threeyers of skin by now, so he just wanted a simple soak, enough to rinse off the sweat on his body.


    "You¡¯re not going to drink my bathwater, are you?"


    "Hmm? Don¡¯t imagine me as that kind of pervert! I¡¯m still a normal person!" Naruto said with some dissatisfaction, "Am I that kind of person in your heart?"


    "Yes." Ino said, holding her face, "Some people even prepare maid outfits. I don¡¯t even know how to wear something like that."


    "I don''t know either."


    "You''re lying! You clearly¡­" Ino, unable to hold back any longer, clenched her fists, "You''d better not bring that up again!"


    "I''m really sorry for not peeking while you were bathing."


    "What are you saying?! Peeking is what¡¯s abnormal!" Ino was on the verge of a breakdown, "Anyway, if you want to bathe now, you''ll have to wait a while for the water to heat up again."


    "If you don''t mind, you can use mine¡­"


    "I don''t mind at all. Strictly speaking, I just need a quick rinse." Naruto said, "I''ve already bathed twice today, but it¡¯s just too hot."


    "No sneaky drinking." Ino said, trying to stay serious, though her ears were slightly red.


    "If your bathwater was swapped out for milk or chocte or something, it might be worth considering. But just in water? Essentially, the taste is no different from the water boiled in the kitchen."


    Naruto stood there, stroking his chin with a serious look on his face, and began to express his oundish thoughts.


    When Ino heard the word ¡®taste¡¯ from his mouth, she was too shocked to even remember what she had been nning to scold him about.


    "Hmm, if the bath was filled with something solid rather than liquid, that would be a different story. For example, petals or jelly would probably be widely epted¡­ No, to be more precise, they¡¯d likely be very popr."


    "From a general standpoint, the desire to drink bathwater is usually a pleasant fantasy that arises in small, confined, and highly private spaces."


    "Stop talking! Ahhh!!" Ino shrank into the sofa, clutching her head as if her very soul had been tainted, her eyespletely losing their luster.


    "Oh, by the way," Naruto, retrieving his clothes from the balcony, passed by the sofa and spoke to Ino, who was questioning her life choices, "There''s no need for me to imagine anything because you''re already beautiful enough, Ino."


    "¡­ Beautiful?" Ino''s eyes gradually regained their luster.


    With a bang, the bathroom door closed.


    Ino took small, shallow breaths, straightening up and ncing toward the bathroom. Then, with a soft groan, she copsed back into the sofa, her face deeply flushed.


    She remembered Naruto¡¯s unwavering gaze from earlier, and immediately felt a certain part of her heart was being fulfilled. Though her technique had been clumsy, the oue was surprisingly effective.


    Lying on the sofa, Ino''s heart raced, her eyelids drooping slightly as her body temperature slowly rose. The mix of embarrassment and exhaustion overwhelmed her, making her feel a bit lightheaded.


    Click.


    Naruto was covered in steam when he came out of the bathroom. He wanted to continue teasing Ino, but found that thetter had fallen asleep on the sofa.


    ncing at the clock on the wall, he noticed it was already past two in the morning.


    The Yamanaka Flower Shop wasn¡¯t particrly close to Naruto¡¯s ce, and Ino had made three trips back and forth tonight. It¡¯s no wonder she was exhausted now. Once the surroundings grew quiet, it was easy to fall asleep suddenly.


    Honestly, Ino''s sleeping posture was surprisingly stunning, with her mouth slightly open as she breathed softly. In the silent, brightly lit living room, her gentle breathing could be heard clearly.


    The sight of the girl, wrapped in a towel, asleep on the couch without a hint of defense, had a significant impact on Naruto. He took shallow breaths, adjusting his heart rate several times to calm himself down.


    He made an effort to divert his gaze from the tempting sight of her pale legs and avoid focusing on any key areas, mentally chanting ¡®Thomas the Train¡¯ to put himself in Sage Mode.


    If he loses hisposure at a time like this, the consequences will probably be very disastrous.


    Naruto didn¡¯t believe that if he did something inappropriate, Ino would trust his less-than-noble character when she woke up. The odds were high that she¡¯d throw him out like trash.


    The towel was already showing signs of loosening, and after some contemtion, Naruto decided to carry Ino to the bed.


    After mentally preparing himself, he carefully slid one arm around her bent legs and the other behind her neck, gently lifting the curled-up, sleeping Ino.


    Fortunately, Ino seemed to be in a deep sleep, her breathing was still even, and there was no sign of waking up. Naruto''s movements were very gentle, and heid her on the bed, but he did not leave immediately.


    This is his room. It has been dark from the beginning, but it is very familiar and simple to him, so there is no need to turn on the lights.


    The faint glow from the living room provided enough illumination to see by, but only the rough outline of things was visible. Naruto stood by the bed for a while, staring at Ino''s vague sleeping figure for half a minute.


    Suddenly, he sighed softly for no reason, turned around, and fumbled in the wardrobe for a thin nket, which he draped over Ino before quietly leaving the room.


    With a click, the door closed, and thest sliver of light in the room vanished.

 Chapter 120 Wasn’t I Sleeping On The Sofa!!

    Chapter 120 Wasn¡¯t I Sleeping On The Sofa!!


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    The next day.


    Naruto opened his eyes from the sofa. The light in the living room was dim. There would be a high-level meetingter in the day, so he couldn''t fall back asleep.


    It would be a lie to say he wasn''t nervous, but luckily, he wasn''t alone in the house.


    Sitting up, he turned his head to look at the closed bedroom door, knowing that inside was a beautiful girl wrapped in a bath towel. By this time in the morning, the towel might have already been discarded.


    His head felt a bit groggy, as he didn¡¯t get enough sleep.


    Dragging his tired body to freshen up, he guessed it was just before dawn. He tossed his clothes fromst night into the washing machine and noticed Ino''s clothes were in therger and smaller dryers.


    After taking out Ino''s fully dried clothes and neatly folding them on the sofa, he slowly shuffled in his indoor slippers to make breakfast, leaving a portion on warm hold.


    After finishing his breakfast, the sun was almost up. He prepared everything and left a note for the still-sleeping Ino in the living room.


    He originally nned to write something yful, but after recalling Ino''s sleeping face from the night before, he changed his mind. He left a warm note instead and then headed out the door with a bang.


    [Note: I put the bath water in the refrigerator, (*--*)]


    ¡­


    Hokage¡¯s Office.


    Tsunade was yawning as her little secretary urged her silently to hurry up. When she reached the entrance, she found Naruto slumped against the wall, already asleep.


    "What''s wrong with this guy?" Tsunade bent down and shook him awake, "Wake up."


    Blinding light hit his eyes, and Naruto felt like his soul was being shaken out of him. Just as he was about to lose his temper, he looked up and saw a towering expanse of white, causing him to swallow back his words.


    "Good morning, Tsunade-sama.¡± Naruto said somewhat embarrassedly.


    "How did things go with your little girlfriend yesterday?" Tsunade asked yfully, with a smirk on her lips.


    "As expected of Tsunade-sama, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you. I am a good person."


    "Who knows? Maybe you should talk to the Yamanaka n about it." Tsunade grinned, showing none of the usual Hokage decorum, "How about working hard to be Hokage? I can help you convince the Hyuga n."


    "They¡¯re pretty traditional, so they probably wouldn¡¯t mind you having two wives."


    "Sorry, but bing Hokage is absolutely impossible." Naruto refused again.


    Hearing Naruto¡¯s refusal, Tsunade didn''t show any change in expression, as it was just her usual teasing. She herself didn''t really want to be the Hokage. She¡¯s azy Hokage who have started picking a sessor as soon as she took office.


    "Yeah." Tsunade pinched his cheek, then stood up and walked into her office, leaving a sentence, "Come on in."


    "Okay." Naruto obediently followed her inside.


    After sitting down, Tsunade didn¡¯t pay much attention to him, instead focusing on the stack of documents in front of her.


    "These documentse in every day. If I don¡¯t review them for a few days, they will pile up."


    "Is that so?" Naruto wasn¡¯t particrly interested but replied out of courtesy, "Is it because there aren¡¯t any capable people avable right now? So the power can¡¯t be delegated?"


    Tsunade took a sip of water and nced at Naruto.


    "You sure know a lot, kid."


    "Just a little. Tsunade-sama, you might as well train Kakashi-sensei as your sessor, and get it done in one step." Naruto suddenly said.


    Tsunade coughed violently, and the cup fell into her chest. Fortunately, there was only a thinyer of water left, so it didn¡¯t spill onto her clothes.


    "How did you know what I was thinking?"


    In response to Tsunade''s question, Naruto spread his hands.


    "It might be a bit much to say this, but who else besides Kakashi-sensei could be Hokage? Pervy Sage has no intention of staying in one ce and is always wandering around."


    In fact, he was just talking nonsense. The more he knew, the more trouble he would have. While there was some truth to what he said, Kakashi still had a long way to go in terms of power and needed to umte more achievements to be the Hokage.


    Both the Yondaime and Godaime Hokage had made significant contributions to Konoha.


    In other words, unless Kakashi can unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan and achieve extraordinary feats in arge-scale war, contributing significantly to Konoha, it was too early to talk about him as a sessor.


    Even if Tsunade did have the intention of selecting Kakashi to be the Rokudaime Hokage, it was because Kakashi was, without a doubt, the most qualified candidate in terms of both intellect and overall ability among the adult Shinobi.


    But things are not always that simple. If a better candidate appears in the future, Tsunade will naturally nominate them instead.


    In other words, Naruto was only talking about the firstyer, while Tsunade had already thought about the second. Yet, she still found hisments intriguing.


    "Since you¡¯re not aiming to be Hokage, stay out of such matters," Tsunade said.


    "Okay."


    Tsunade picked up a document and put it down again, then turned to look at Naruto and gave him instructions with a serious expression.


    "When we enter the high-level meeting roomter, follow my lead. If someone asks you a question, don''t answer it carelessly. You can only answer when I tell you to. Do you hear me?"


    "I heard you. I''ll follow Tsunade-sama''s lead." Naruto replied obediently and had no other thoughts.


    Anyway, Tsunade likely had a n in ce. As for the rest, he¡¯ll just deal with it if things didn¡¯t go smoothly. After all, Naruto has never participated in a high-level meeting, and he guessed that this was also Tsunade''s first time to participate as the Hokage.


    At 9:45 A.M, Tsunade put down her pen and tossed the documents on the table. She stood up, signaling Naruto to follow her as she walked out.


    Tsunade led the way, the crisp sound of her high-heeled sandals echoing in the hallway. Shizune, the head of the medical department and the Hokage''s secretary, walked side by side with Naruto, following closely behind.


    At 10 A.M.


    Golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining through therge corridor windows onto the massive, ancient wooden doors of the conference room.


    "Tsunade-sama." The Chunin guarding the door greeted her respectfully and slowly pushed the doors open.


    The door of the conference room creaked, and the unique smell of wooden doors hit Naruto in the face. Inside, the room was bathed in light, just like the hottest and most merciless sun at noon.


    At 10 A.M.


    Ino stared at the unfamiliar ceiling for a long time before suddenly realizing that she hadn¡¯t gone homest night.


    Yesterday, Tsunade told her about the gift for no apparent reason, and then she felt aggrieved for some reason, so aggrieved that she felt very depressed and then she ended up wandering around aimlessly.


    She doesn¡¯t know why, but by the time she realized what was happening, she had already arrived at that jerk¡¯s house.


    Back then, seeing the faint light through the door, she assumed that Naruto had already brought the Sunagakure¡¯s Princess home, and the thought made her feel so wronged she wanted to cry. In a fit of frustration, she opened the door.


    But for some reason, the moment she saw him, she just wanted to get angry. She kept saying things that were too suggestive, yet she couldn¡¯t help but care and listen to every word he said.


    She didn¡¯t know what was happening to her. She took his key, stayed in the same house as him, almost as if she was clinging to him.


    She knew such feelings were dangerous and desperately wanted to extricate herself from it.


    After getting out of bed, she suddenly felt a chill on her body. The towel was still on the bed, and when she looked down, her pupils suddenly widened.


    ¡®Last night, wasn¡¯t I sleeping on the sofa?¡¯

 Chapter 121 Please Use This Sword to Kill Me

    Chapter 121 Please Use This Sword to Kill Me


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    Ino couldn¡¯t fully recall what had happened the previous day, but she doubted Naruto would... After pondering for a while, Ino wrapped the towel around herself again and opened the door.


    She saw the neatly folded clothes on the sofa and the breakfast kept warm on the table, but Naruto was nowhere to be found.


    ¡®Today seemed to be the day of the high-level meeting.¡¯ Standing by the door, Ino felt a twinge of regret. If she had woken up earlier, maybe she could have spoken a few words with him..


    The living room was quiet, the only sound being the soft beeps of the warming pot. She walked to the sofa, put on her fully dried undergarments, and slipped into her skirt. In the bathroom, she found the toothbrush and cup she had usedst time, with water running from the faucet.


    Aftering out of the bathroom, Ino nced at the balcony, where the bright, warm sunlight was dazzling, and Naruto¡¯s clothes were swaying in the breeze. It felt as if everything had been tidied up, organized meticulously, just waiting for her.


    As she took her breakfast, she noticed a note on the table.


    [Note: I put the bath water in the refrigerator, (*--*)]


    (*--*)!!!


    Seeing that crude, rough smiley face, the warmth in Ino¡¯s heart vanished. Her fists clenched tightly as the image of Naruto¡¯s cheeky grin shed before her eyes.


    "UZUMAKI!!! NARUTO!!!"


    "AAAHHH!!!"


    "Uzumaki Naruto, how do you exin releasing the Biju in the center of the vige on August 24th?"


    Danzo¡¯s voice was no different from that of an ordinary old man, except for his habit of emphasizing thest word of his sentences. This made every sentence sound like amand. Although his voice was soft, everyone present could hear it clearly.


    All the curtains in the conference room were drawn, with the Hokage¡¯s seat facing the sun. As a result, the high-ranking officials sitting around the long table seemed to be bathed in light, their faces could not be seen at all.


    Naruto, who had been called out, stood on Tsunade¡¯s left, while the secretary, Shizune, stood to her right.


    Except for Tsunade, no other higher-ups was allowed to bring anyone into the meeting room. Shizune alone was responsible for recording the minutes, and if arguments became too heated, Shizune had the authority to call for a pause.


    This was because even the trash talk from higher-ups needed to be documented. However, such scenes of poor conduct were rtively rare.


    By 10:30 A.M., the meeting had already been going on for half an hour.


    It wasn¡¯t until Danzo spoke that the meeting formally entered into the main agenda. that day, Root¡¯s Shinobi reced the Anbu and directly rushed to the location where Kyubi had appeared, but they were intercepted by Kakashi.


    Now, Danzo demanded an exnation from Naruto.


    Tsunade, with her hands sped on the table, expressionlessly scanned the room. Her eyes flickered slightly, but she didn¡¯t immediately respond, nor did she mean to ignore Danzo¡¯s question.


    She was thinking, openly, in front of all the higher-ups, about how to argue her case.


    The room fell into a long silence, everyone waiting for Tsunade to speak, matching her pace in the meeting. After all, she is the Hokage, the princess supported by everyone in the vige.


    No one was impatient, as if they had long been ustomed to it. The two veteran Advisors drank water tactically, and even Danzo began to close his eye, appearing to rest.


    Tsunade had turned the high-level meeting into a turn-based process that everyone had to follow. Faced with the constant threat of Tsunade possibly abandoning her responsibilities, the pressure on the higher-ups was immense.


    True authority didn¡¯te from one¡¯s self, but from the ability to control everyone and everything. When the vige¡¯s morale was low and it desperately needed a powerful figure like Tsunade to step forward, the higher-ups were put in a passive position.


    In trying to force Tsunade to take a stance, they, too, were being pressured by her.


    Tsunade gently tapped the table, which was a sign she was about to speak. After two taps, she nced at everyone and began to speak, "ording to the limited records avable in Konoha, every time Kyubi appears, it will cause significant damage to the vige. However, on that asion, the vige remained unharmed."


    "Furthermore, on that day, Uchiha Itachi infiltrated the vige. Their target was the Kyubi. In that case, can we preliminarily conclude that the Kyubi that the Anbu¡¯s Shinobi saw might not be real?"


    "It wasn¡¯t just the Anbu¡¯s Shinobi who saw it. The n Head of the Yamanaka n also witnessed it." Koharu, draped in a white shawl, said in a serious tone.


    Her aged eyes turned towards a middle-aged man sitting in the corner of the long table, signaling him to speak.


    Inoichi felt mixed emotions as he looked at the flirtatious young man who had taken his daughter¡¯s heart. The old father''s mind had long drifted away from the intense high-level meeting.


    He was wondering whether he should send a message to Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, and ask him to teach his impetuous apprentice a good lesson.


    When he looked up, he suddenly found that the olddy, Koharu, was staring at him. He couldn''t help but break out in a cold sweat. He took a deep breath, and his mind went nk.


    ¡®Huh? Why is the Advisor looking at me? What should I say?¡¯


    "Ahem." Inoichi cleared his throat and said, "I still think what Tsunade-sama said makes sense."


    He had no idea what Tsunade said, but he didn''t care. After all, the Ino-Shika-Chou were staunch supporters of the Hokage. Who the Hokage was didn¡¯t matter, as long as it wasn¡¯t Danzo.


    The universal phrase: I think Tsunade-sama¡¯s words make sense. Makes sense,pletely makes sense, every word makes sense, practically words to live by! It didn¡¯t matter what the leader said, as what mattered was that the leader spoke.


    "What I''m asking is, did you see the Kyubi appear in the center of the vige on August 24th?" Koharu frowned and asked again in a hoarse voice.


    ¡®August 24th¡­¡¯ The scene of that stormy day shed through his mind.


    The sky was dark, the earth as dim as dusk, and thend turned to rivers.


    "No, I didn''t see anything." Inoichi shook his head, "The rain was too heavy that day. All I saw was Uchiha Itachi fleeing from Konoha."


    "I''ve already told you, there''s nothing." Tsunade spread her hands.


    "Godaime, the truth can never be concealed." Danzo said calmly, interrupting her, "On that day, not only did the Shinobi see the Kyubi, but the vigers did as well."


    Tsunade didn¡¯t respond, choosing to remain silent. Danzo, wrapped in bandages, fixed his gaze on Naruto, who was standing, and asked again, "Uzumaki Naruto, how do you exin that you released the Biju without permission?"


    Tsunade tapped the table twice but said nothing. Instead, she turned her head and nced at Naruto. This was a signal that he could speak, allowing him to answer on his own.


    The previous exchanges were merely Tsunade¡¯s way of dragging the Advisors into the conversation. It was all for this moment, where she chose to let Naruto speak.


    After receiving the signal, Naruto nodded.


    All eyes were on him, but Naruto couldn''t see their faces, as they were bathed in the light.


    Naruto didn''t say anything. Instead, he pulled out a sword and, with a thud, plunged it into therge conference table.


    "Danzo-sama, please use this sword to kill me." He said, staring at Danzo¡¯s indistinct face.

 Chapter 122 Now, He Has the Right to Speak

    Chapter 122 Now, He Has the Right to Speak


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    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">In the vast conference room, the long and ring light beam from the singlerge floor-to-ceiling window cast an obscured glow on the faces of the higher-ups and n Heads sitting in reverse light. The floating dust particles in the air were clearly visible, creating a hazy outline of light above the long table.


    Naruto''s sudden demand, ¡®kill me¡¯, left everyone stunned for a moment.


    The sword, lodged in the long conference table, gleamed sharply with half of its de exposed. Danzo narrowed his eye outside the bandage and looked at Naruto calmly, "Why should I kill you?"


    To someone like Danzo, who had spent his entire life lurking in the shadows and had witnessed countless acts of violence, Naruto''s bold act was hardly intimidating.


    His eye subtly shifted, observing Naruto''s expression closely. Disappointment? Anger? There seemed to be none of that, as Naruto''s face was devoid of any emotion.


    "The sword is already on the table. Whether you kill me now or not, if I die in a few days, it will be linked to you, Danzo-sama." Naruto continued.


    "What reason would I have to kill you?" Danzo scoffed coldly, "A Jinchuriki is very important to the vige. As a high-ranking official in the vige, why would I possibly kill you?"


    "Do you think you can avoid the questioning by making a fuss?"


    "Reason?" Naruto retorted, "Danzo-sama, you insisted that I released the Biju, but you didn''t even ask me the reason or whether I actually did it."


    "The Kyubi was released, yet the vige wasn¡¯t destroyed. Does that make sense?"


    "Make sense?" Danzo''s voice grew colder, "You released the Biju without authorization. This is an indisputable fact. No matter what you say, the truth cannot be twisted."


    "Does the truth really important?" Naruto''s voice rose several degrees. In the huge conference room, only he and Danzo were talking, while the others remained silent.


    Tsunade didn''t say anything, so neither did the others.


    "The truth is the fact, and the fact is the truth." Danzo said sternly, "If your academic studies arecking, I don¡¯t mind sending you back to the Academy for remedial sses!"


    "Danzo-sama, you don¡¯t care about the truth. Everyone knows the vige wasn¡¯t harmed, but that doesn¡¯t concern you. What matters to you is making me admit that the Kyubi was released, so you can gain more power and influence."


    Naruto showed no sign of weakness. Even though he couldn''t see Danzo''s face clearly, it didn''t affect his performance at all.


    "If you really care about the truth, Danzo-sama, then pick up the sword and stab me. Let the Kyubie out and tell you whether it emerged on August 24th!"


    "Do you know what you¡¯re saying now?" Danzo¡¯s voice was icy, though he avoided directly addressing Naruto¡¯s challenge.


    "Of course I know what I''m saying!"


    "I¡¯m telling you the Kyubi didn¡¯t emerge that day. If you think otherwise, then kill me now and let the Kyubi exin."


    "This is just nonsense!" Danzo said with a hint of anger, "This is insubordination. Do you even listen to what you are saying?"


    "Uchiha Itachi invaded the vige and nearly killed me. Though I was lucky enough to survive, Uchiha Itachi left without any interference. It seems that Danzo-sama¡¯s Root and Anbu have no way to deal with Uchiha Itachi."


    "The so-called truth is weak, childish, andughable. Danzo-sama, it sounds like you can¡¯t handle external threats, so you¡¯re making excuses by turning your de on your own people!"


    "You!" Danzo¡¯s face finally showed a flicker of emotion, "I''ve had enough of your nonsense. Do you expect me to exin everything about the vige to you?"


    "Danzo-sama, if you¡¯re getting too old and confused, and doesn''t dare to take action against Uchiha Itachi, then you should just give up your position."


    "You don¡¯t dare to kill Uchiha Itachi, but I do!"


    "What are you afraid of? Or is there something you''re concerned about?"


    "Enough!" The old woman, Koharu, sharply interrupted Naruto, stepping into the confrontation.


    Knock knock.


    Tsunade tapped the long table twice, making two dull but firm sounds. She rested her head on one hand, her full red lips slightly parted, and her voice carried an undeniable authority, "Let him speak."


    "Godaime! This is a high-level meeting, and he, a Genin, has no right to speak."


    "Whether he is just a Genin or not, and whether he has the right to speak, I think everyone here knows the answer." Tsunade''s words carried a veiled threat. Her wrist, pale as jade, moved as her narrow eyes scanned the room.


    "If he can''t speak, then this high-level meeting might as well be dismissed."


    "Godaime, this is against the rules." Homura voiced his concern.


    The core of the Konoha¡¯s higher-ups consisted of two Advisors, Danzo, and Tsunade. Although the Anbu Commander and the other n Heads are also considered higher-ups, most of the time, they simply remained silent in their seats.


    "Rules?" Tsunade lifted her head, her golden eyes seemingly glowing, "How many people have already broken the rules? If the rules were really useful, why would I be sitting here?"


    "Sandaime and Yondaime are always at the mercy of others. What does does Konoha really need? Rules or power?"


    "You have too little trust in the younger generation, creating countless rules. So what''s up with that brat Uchiha Itachi? If Naruto isn¡¯t qualified to speak, then go find a qualified Jinchuriki."


    "Go ahead, select a Jinchuriki from the younger members of your ns, and try them one by one."


    After the words were spoken, the two Advisors immediately fell silent.


    Hashirama¡¯s goal was to downy the concept of n, leading to the Senju n members marrying non-n individuals, changed their surnames, and gave up the talents of the Senju n.


    The Uchiha, on the other hand, continuously bred a group of power-obsessed individuals.


    Now, Konoha had lost both the Senju and Uchiha ns. The only woman who inherited the talent of the Senju n now sat in the Hokage''s seat, and her position is unshakable.


    Outside the only floor-to-ceiling window in the conference room, the sunlight was bright, and the greenery was lush. The Hokage Rock stood tall on the cliff, with white birds circling into the sky.


    The sunlight shines through the Nara n¡¯s deer farm, the Yamanaka n¡¯s flower shop thrived within the vige, and ns¡¯ Shinobi wearing their headbands were bustling around. Konoha''s streets remained lively and crowded.


    Tsunade withdrew her gaze from the window, her eyes sweeping over the higher-ups like a lioness surveying her territory.


    "Now, he has the right to speak."


    The two Advisors were also aware of the current situation and did not wish to confront Tsunade head-on. They only wanted to eliminate potential dangers for the vige, not to challenge the Hokage. However, the only candidates capable of holding the position of Hokage were Tsunade and Jiraiya, but both of them stood on the side of the Jinch¨±riki.


    Given this, when the two Advisors tried to focus on the issue at hand, Tsunade forced them to take a stand. If they wanted to deal with the situation solely based on the facts, then they might as well let Danzo take over her position.


    With Tsunade¡¯s signal, Naruto spoke again.


    "I am not guilty, nor do I need to be judged by anyone. No one ever asked me if I wanted to be a Jinchuriki. But since I stand in this position, I have to speak the truth."

 Chapter 123 The Mask

    Chapter 123 The Mask


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    How does one subtly express that they¡¯re about to start speaking nonsense? For Naruto, it¡¯s as simple as saying something fair.


    "Setting aside the question of whether the Kyubi appeared or not, on August 24, Uchiha Itachi, along with another S-Rank Missing-nin, wandered around the vige in strange clothing for the entire day."


    "They attacked me twice in total, with extremely long intervals between them, right under the noses of the Anbu and the Root. I''m just a Genin, and it''s not easy for me to survive when Uchiha Itachi was searching around without any blocking."


    "Why didn¡¯t you report it?" Koharu asked.


    "Report?" Naruto looked genuinely puzzled, staring at the old woman, Koharu, for a long time before saying, "Do you even hear what you¡¯re saying? We¡¯re talking about Uchiha Itachi, the man who became an Anbu Captain when he¡¯s just twelve."


    "Where was I supposed to report it?? The Root people have already flooded into the Anbu. Should I report this to Danzo-sama for a decision?"


    "It wasn¡¯t until after Uchiha Itachi left that the Anbu finally showed up. If that¡¯s not ipetence, what is? Trusting them to save me would¡¯ve gotten me killed a thousand times over."


    "The vige was in turmoil at the time, and the Anbu was short-handed and unable to provide effective response." Danzo finally opened his mouth to exin.


    "I¡¯m not interested in these after-the-fact excuses. If the Anbu and the Root truly had the vige''s protection in mind, they would have found a way to detect the enemy in advance." Naruto said, shaking his head.


    "The truth is indisputable. And Danzo-sama, you should recognize this."


    With a thud, a mask was tossed onto the long table in the meeting room.


    "Each mask of the Root¡¯s Shinobi has a number, Danzo-sama, care to guess why this one is in my hands?"


    The masknding on the table was like a stone cast into a stillke, finally creating ripples in the otherwise tepid meeting. The matter of the Kyubi mightck solid evidence, but the attack by Root¡¯s Shinobi was undeniable.


    Danzo still had a nk expression on his face, but the two Advisors¡¯ faces turned grim.


    Things took a turn for the better at this moment, and the two Advisors¡¯ faces changed immediately.


    The issue of dealing with the Jinchuriki had always been a lingering concern left by Sandaime. As his former right-hand Advisors, they had always aimed to maximize any potential benefits for the vige.


    As for the other n Heads, they are more concerned about the direction rather than the oue of things.


    Regardless of whether Danzo or Tsunade has the upper hand in this meeting, being able to see the power struggle between the new generation Hokage and the old core leadership provided a rare glimpse into the vige''s future direction.


    As for their views on the Jinchuriki, they had long be indifferent. After all, the scale of the situation was too great for them to express any opinions.


    The current situation was no longer just about the Kyubi, but a confrontation between Tsunade and the old leadership. How Tsunade would protect Naruto will be the key to winning the hearts of the other silent n Heads.


    Even if Tsunade hadn¡¯t considered this angle, the other higher-ups certainly would.


    For them, their role was clear, they were mere silent spectators.


    The Jinchuriki is too important to the vige. Since the death of the Nidaime Hokage, the Land of Fire had been on a downward slope. Located in the ind, the awkward position makes the Land of Fire face three powerful enemies at any time.


    In the sessive wars, Konoha had already lost too much and they couldn¡¯t afford to lose the Jinchuriki as well.


    At first, when Naruto had mmed the sword into the table, it had surprised them because Naruto chose to die to prove his innocence. It wasn¡¯t a clever choice. At that point, the Advisors were already trying to interrupt Naruto, hoping to keep him alive.


    But the two Advisors began to waver after Tsunade''s speech. Naruto carried too much weight behind him, and if he really died, the two of them could not bear the consequences.


    However, the moment Naruto threw the mask onto the table, it signaled that he had made the active choice to live.


    Facing death to live¡­ This simple and unpretentious strategy suppressed Danzo and forced the two Advisors to take a stand, which leaves everyone impressed.


    silence.


    There was three minutes of silence.


    Shikaku was sitting nearby and his face equally blurred. During the confrontation between the four Konoha¡¯s top leaders, he remained silent throughout.


    All eyes were on Naruto, the undeniable focal point of the room.


    But Naruto''s gaze was fixed on Tsunade at the head of the table. If Naruto was the sword in this meeting, then Tsunade was the one wielding it.


    She seemed to remain neutral throughout, and despite the obvious shift of the two Advisors towards Danzo''s side, she remained calm and silent most of the time.


    From the start of the meeting, Tsunade had spoken only a few times, each word perfectly timed and precise. While Naruto stirred emotions, Tsunade maintained her rationality.


    To put it simply, Naruto had been provoking Danzo and the two old Advisors from the beginning. The dramatic sword thrust at the start grabbed everyone''s attention, and with each word, he slowly built up his argument, culminating in the revtion of the Root¡¯s Shinobi¡¯s mask, which is a very brilliant move.


    But Tsunade has always yed the role of a detached observer, which was equally crucial. She didn¡¯t rush to defend Naruto but chose silence, only intervening when the meeting hit a stalemate to remind the Advisors of what was at stake.


    What would losing a Jinchuriki mean to the vige, and what would it mean for the Will of Fire if Naruto died in such a manner.


    Shikaku was sure that Tsunade must have a better and more brutal way to suppress the two Advisors, simply by using Naruto¡¯s life experience.


    Yet, she chose to protect him, opting for a less aggressive but still effective approach.


    This not-so-clever method, in the context of the jaw-dropping cooperation at this moment, appeared remarkably shrewd.


    Shikaku narrowed his eyes slightly as he nced at the higher-ups across from him, noting their blurred faces in the light, and he felt a sudden urge tough.


    No one in this room was a fool. Even if some of them are slow-witted, they would certainly figure things out after a few days of reflection at home.


    The most beautiful woman in the Shinobi World is not just a beauty on paper. She is a Medical-nin who returned from the ughter of war, having traveled across nations before returning to Konoha. She is definitely not as harmless as her appearance suggests.


    Now, the purpose of muddying the waters around the Kyubi¡¯s incident had been achieved, but Shikaku knew Tsunade¡¯s true goal had yet to be revealed. The corners of his mouth curled up, ¡®Now was about the right time.¡¯


    ¡®The y was over. It was time for the curtain to fall.¡¯


    Knock knock!


    Tsunade lightly rapped the table, breaking the silence with a deep sound.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to her, withplex or questioning looks directed at the Godaime Hokage, who was as elegant as a distant mountain flower.


    Her eyes, clear as water, shone with a resolute gaze.


    "In this case, the confusion between Anbu and Root must be rified. What¡¯s light should remain in the light, and what¡¯s dark should stay in the dark. Mixing them together will only causeplications and affect the significance of the existence of our Special Shinobi Departments."


    With that, Tsunade casually reimed control over the Anbu.

 Chapter 124 Haruno Sakura

    Chapter 124 Haruno Sakura


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    With Tsunade¡¯s decisive words, the meeting finally drew to a close.


    The two old Advisors had shifted their allegiance to Tsunade, while Danzo remained silent. The remainder of the meeting focused on the details of the handover between Anbu and Root, further solidifying Anbu¡¯s direct subordination to the Hokage.


    No one brought up the issue of the Kyubi again, nor did anyone object. Besides the two Advisors and Danzo, no one else had the authority to voice their opinions on the matter of Anbu¡¯s control.


    Danzo remained silent, and the two Advisors did not mention anything about the mask of Root¡¯s Shinobi.


    In short, everything was left unresolved.


    After the meeting was over, Naruto followed Tsunade quietly, maintaining his silence. When they reached the staircase leading to the highest floor, only Shizune, Tsunade, and Naruto were there.


    Tsunade, who had secured control of Anbu, finally rxed. She pulled Naruto into a side hug, her ample figure pressing against his face.


    "Hmmph? I''m going to suffocate!"


    "Why do you look so glum?" Tsunade ignored Naruto''sints and asked while pinching his face, "Are you unhappy because you didn¡¯t get anything out of it?"


    "No, I just feel that this whole Jinchuriki thing is bing less and less interesting." Naruto replied, struggling to free himself from Tsunade''s embrace, "They were nning to turn me into a living weapon from the start, and developing a perfect Jinchuriki is just an excuse."


    "Whether you¡¯re perfect or not isn¡¯t the point."


    In the brightly lit corridor, Tsunade paused as Shizune hurried into the Hokage¡¯s Office to begin drafting reports. The two of them stood outside, bathed in the sunlight, and Tsunade smiled at him.


    "It''s really not important, but it''s important to me that you''re not being treated as a weapon."


    Naruto stopped at the door of the Hokage''s Office. Looking at Tsunade in the office waving her hand impatiently to chase him away, he immediately frowned and turned away.


    ¡®This woman is truly hard to figure out.¡¯


    The trouble of the high-level meeting had finallye to an end, and the higher-ups believed that Naruto and Tsunade were the winners. Tsunade, feeling guilty, believed she was the one who benefited the most, which is why she suddenly hugged Naruto and said those words.


    But in reality, only Naruto knew the truth: there were no real winners, and everyone had simply taken a step back.


    After walking out of the Hokage Tower, Naruto nced up at the sky, noting that the sun was already high. He found a random ce to eat, but halfway through, he remembered that Ino was still at home.


    Suddenly rmed, he left his meal unfinished and ran out.


    The zing summer sun hung overhead, and after just a few steps, he was drenched in sweat. The girls on Konoha''s streets were dressed modestlypared to Tsunade¡¯s more revealing style.


    When it came to fashion, the Land of Lightning had them all beat.


    Weaving through the alleys, Naruto leapt onto the rooftops, where a cool breeze greeted him. He jumped and climbed across the rooftops, which seemed to be full of haphazard constructions, and within five minutes, he was back home, panting.


    "Ino!"


    The door mmed open with a bang, letting in a gust of cool summer air.


    Naruto stood in the doorway, dripping with sweat, but there was no response from inside. After hurriedly changing his shoes at the entrance, he searched the house from top to bottom, only to find no sign of Ino.


    He opened the fridge and took a look. He couldn''t help but grin when he saw that the water he had casually filled in the kitchen had been poured out.


    He began to regret his half-finished meal. He had paid for it, but was still hungry. He stood in the living room, drenched in sweat, and shivered as a cool breeze hit him.


    Thinking that Ino didn''t go homest night and would probably wouldn''t be back for a while if she went back now, he stripped down and headed to the bathroom.


    After wrapping himself in a towel, he flopped onto his usual spot on the sofa and fell asleep.


    When he opened his eyes again, the sky outside was already tinged with the hues of sunset.


    Pouring himself a ss of water in the kitchen, Naruto began to calmly consider his future ns. After being interrupted by Ino yesterday, he barely gained a little sympathy from Kyuubi.


    He decided not to keep trying to persuade the Kyubi with emotions and reasoning. After all, doing it too often would make his intentions too obvious. Instead, he would wait a few days and then find an opportunity to bring a toy as a gift, painting a picture of his own tough life.


    After all, the Four Symbols Seal waspletely under Naruto''s control, and Kyubi had no sense of what the outside world was like. The seal space had be an independent world, cut off from any external information.


    ¡®A CPU fox?¡¯


    ¡®It could work.¡¯


    ¡®Next time. I''ll write some heart-wrenching plots like in Korean Dramas and make myself sound even more miserable. It might make unsealing Kyubi go more smoothly.¡¯


    ¡®But before that, I still have to find a way to meet Hinata. The task progress is still stuck at the quarter. I don''t have to grind deliberately, but at least I have to meet her.¡¯


    To be honest, the Hyuga n rarely goes out.


    Naruto wanted to meet Hinata by chance, but with Team 7 in a broken statetely and the high-level meeting hanging over his head, Naruto had been too anxious to even think about Hinata.


    But now he could.


    ¡®The best way would be to go on a mission with Hinata, but the chances of that happening were slim¡­ unless I bribe Tsunade.¡¯


    After settling on his n, he went out again.


    The flow of people in Konoha Street increased noticeably after dark. It was too hot during the day, so evenings were the best time to take a stroll.


    Luckily, there weren¡¯t many people near Konoha Hospital. Naruto figured Sakura probably hadn¡¯t eaten yet, so he picked up two orders of takoyaki from a nearby food stall and headed into the hospital.


    It had been almost ten days since Sasuke¡¯s defection, so he felt that it''s time to put an end to it.


    Team 7 still had to keep running, and maybe someone would join to rece Sasuke. But that didn¡¯t matter much to Naruto, as long as he can continue to take it easy.


    "Excuse me, can I ask if Haruno Sakura is still at the hospital?"


    The Medical-nin, who was stopped, looked up and gave Naruto a nce, his expression turning a bit strange before answering, "In the duty room on the third floor."


    "Thanks."


    Naruto didn¡¯t think much of it, and with the takoyaki in hand, he headed straight to the third floor. The smell of disinfectant in the hallway was still pungent, making him ufortable.


    "Third floor... duty room."


    Following his memory, Naruto slowly walked through the third-floor corridor and finally found the duty room, which is the third room from the end.


    The whole corridor was brightly lit, and the door to the duty room was half-closed, which was basically the same as not closing the door. Usually, this meant that one could go in directly.


    Without thinking twice, Naruto pushed the door open and walked in.


    The duty room seemed a bit messy. Although the documents were neatly stacked together, they were piled up on the table.


    The file cabs were also stuffed with various records. Sakura was sitting properly in her chair, and when she looked up from the mountains of paperwork, a smile hadn¡¯t yet formed on her face, but her eyes were already filled with warmth.


    "What brings you here?"


    "I just happened to be nearby, so I thought I¡¯d drop in and see you." Naruto subconsciously felt that something was wrong, and the moment he handed over the takoyaki, he said, "I¡¯m really sorry about what happened with Sasuke."


    Sakura took the takoyaki, smiled, and asked a question that sent a chill down Naruto¡¯s spine, "Who¡¯s Sasuke?"

 Chapter 125 Auxiliary Member of Team 8

    Chapter 125 Auxiliary Member of Team 8


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    In the cramped duty room, moths fluttered around the light cover.


    Naruto¡¯s hand shook, nearly spilling the two portions of takoyaki, but fortunately, Sakura¡¯s quick reflexes saved them, preventing a disaster that would have left him mopping the floor.


    "Thank goodness," Sakura sighed in relief, her chest heaving slightly.


    "Ah, sorry about that." Naruto said, sweat forming on his back as he calmed himself.


    ¡®Being a Shinobi is indeed a high-risk profession, it is too easy to go insane.¡¯


    He sat down in a chair, watching Sakura eat the takoyaki with a serious expression. After thinking for a moment, he pushed his portion over to her as well.


    "Aren''t you hungry?"


    "Not really. You still have to continue your shift, right?"


    "Well, yes, but you should eat something too." Sakura said a little embarrassedly, "Otherwise, if I finish it all by myself, it¡¯ll feel a bit weird."


    Naruto really wants toin, ¡®You¡¯re already acting pretty weird now.¡¯


    But based on the limited experience he had gained from dealing with Temari''s sudden change of temperamentst time, he stabbed a takoyaki with a skewer and, looking at Sakura, asked tentatively, "Do you still remember Kakashi-sensei?"


    "What are you talking about? How could I forget him?" Sakura grumbled, her cheeks puffing as she chewed on the takoyaki.


    "Then let me ask you, how many people are in Team 7?"


    "Of course, there are four¡­" Sakura suddenly stopped mid-sentence, then lowered her head and began to count on her fingers, "Kakashi-sensei, me, and Naruto, there are only three of us in total."


    "What about the fourth person?"


    Naruto didn¡¯t say anything, deciding to ask others before drawing any conclusions. It had been ten days since hest interacted with Sakura, and he had thought she had calmed down by now, but it seemed like she was far from calm, more like her brain had short-circuited.


    Following the principle of avoiding troublesome issues, Naruto changed the topic to steer away from Sasuke.


    "Are you going to work tomorrow too?"


    "Yeah, tomorrow is the annual fireworks festival." Sakura said, not dwelling on the Sasuke topic, thenined as she continued eating, "But, Yuu-senpai begged me on his knees to cover his shift."


    "He said his happiness depends on this day, and if he can¡¯t meet his future girlfriend, he might as well die, stuff like that."


    "I couldn¡¯t help it, he looked so pathetic that I had to agree."


    "That''s a shame," Naruto replied, echoing her sentiment.


    "Yeah." Sakura agreed, eating while skimming through a document, "I won¡¯t get to wear my yukata this year, but Yuu-senpai is really something, I can''t refuse something when he begged on his knees like that."


    After chatting for a while in the duty room and watching Sakura finish all the takoyaki, Naruto finally found an excuse to leave.


    The room quickly fell silent again, with only the sound of pages turning.


    Under the light, Sakura''s slender fingers paused their flipping and pulled out a thin medical record from between the files, on which was clearly written the words Uchiha Sasuke.


    ¡°Ha~¡±


    A suppressed, excited sound escaped from Sakura¡¯s throat. She seemed like apletely different person from before, and her gaze was fixated on Sasuke¡¯s photo.


    Her delicate, pale fingers traced the face in the photo, and her breathing turned into a sick, raspy sound.


    "How should I reunite with my beloved?"


    "¡­Of course, by cutting him into pieces and reuniting with him bit by bit. Naruto would probably support me, right? He seems to care about Sasuke a lot."


    "If he tries to stop me, Naruto-kun wouldn¡¯t stop me, right? He definitely wouldn¡¯t." Sakura''s chest heaved up and down, she stroked her face with her right hand, her eyes were blurred.


    "Another me, you stay hidden. I¡¯ll find Sasuke for you, hehe." Sakura, whose attributes unknown, said this as she twirled her right pinky finger near her lips.


    After leaving Konoha Hospital, Naruto bought two more portions of takoyaki and ate as he walked.


    ¡®Sakura¡¯s condition was really strange, so it was best to wait and see. Maybe it''s the same as Temari''s, Temari, it was just some kind of self-defense mechanism that her brain had activated, and she''ll get better in a couple of days.¡¯


    However, Naruto felt that it wouldn¡¯t be so bad if it always remained like this, as it would save him a lot of trouble.


    After all, the purpose of Sasuke''s life is revenge, and Naruto had no interest in trying to rekindle Sasuke''s emotions. Whatever Sasuke wanted to do, he could go ahead, and Naruto had no intention of getting involved.


    As for the future, he¡¯d deal with it when the time came. Although they wererades, Naruto didn¡¯t really care that much about Sasuke.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    "What? You actually want to go on a mission? And with Team 8?" Tsunade frowned, looking at Naruto as if he had lost his mind. Her outfit strained at the seams as she crossed her arms.


    "¡­ Well, I just want to help out the vige, you know? What¡¯s so strange about that?" Naruto said somewhat embarrassedly.


    "Help out?" Tsunade gave him a disdainful look and said bluntly, "Last time I gave you a mission, you said you had to go home to take care of a sick stray dog."


    "Later, I found out you bought a random stuffed dog from a gift shop and insisted it was sick."


    "I¡¯m starting to worry about your mental state, Uzumaki Naruto."


    "Uh, this time it¡¯s real! I really want to do a mission." Naruto said earnestly, "Team 7 has been inactive for a long time. I can¡¯t just sit around doing nothing forever."


    "Really?" Tsunade¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed as she stared at him, "Let me see your sincerity."


    Thud.


    Naruto ced two boxes of expensive desserts on Tsunade''s desk, and thetter¡¯s eyes widened in response.


    "Alright, I approve."


    Aftering out of the Hokage Tower, Naruto felt a wave of disappointment, ¡®Tsunade was really as shameless as I am. She agreed to be bribed with sweets. This Hokage is really despicable.¡¯


    While he was mentally criticizing her, he suddenly noticed Hinata standing nervously by the roadside. When she saw that Naruto had discovered her, her face immediately turned red.


    "Hinata-chan." Naruto called, waving to her, and thetter waved back timidly.


    "N-Naruto-kun."


    "You don¡¯t have to be so formal. Just call me Naruto from now on." He said confidently as he walked up to Hinata.


    "Okay." Hinata seemed like she would not refuse any of his requests and agreed with a blushing face.


    "N-Naruto."


    "I''m going on a mission with you guys the day after tomorrow."


    "With us?"


    "Yes, Team 8. I¡¯ve already convinced Tsunade-sama." He said proudly, "I guess I¡¯m sort of an auxiliary member of Team 8 now, like a temp worker."


    "Ah, the day after tomorrow?" Hinata stammered, looking even more flustered. Her shoulder-length blue hair framed her small, adorable face, resembling a creamy white pudding.


    Naruto had his hands behind his back, but he couldn''t help but reach out and pinched her cheek.


    "Huh?"


    When Hinata realized that Naruto was pinching her face with one hand, her entire face turned crimson, even down to her ears, and she was so overwhelmed that her body went limp.


    Naruto realized that he had caused trouble by his careless hands, and instinctively caught Hinata. He hurriedly holding Hinata in his arms, and skillfully ran into a nearby shaded alley.

 Chapter 126 This is Also Part of The Training

    Chapter 126 This is Also Part of The Training


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    Hinata didn¡¯t actually faint, but her hands and feet were a little weak and her eyes were hazy.


    This put Naruto in a bit of a dilemma. Holding her wasn¡¯t exactly the solution, as the more he held her, the weaker she seemed to be. But if he didn''t hold her in his arms, there wasn¡¯t any ce nearby where she could rest.


    ¡®What are the situations of the Kunoichi that I have met? Each one seemed to have some sort of issue.¡¯


    ¡®First, it was Temari, then Sakura, and now even Hinata seemed overly sensitive, almost unnaturally so.¡¯


    ¡®No! I could let others be, but not Hinata¡­ I had to correct this!¡¯


    "Hinata, pull yourself together." Naruto said, trying to encourage her, "You can¡¯t go on like this. Remember, we have a mission together the day after tomorrow."


    "Mission?" Hinata gasped softly, caught between a state of awareness and semi-unconsciousness.


    Seeing her in this vulnerable state, like a small kitten with tousled hair and misty eyes, Naruto looked away slightly, then said with a firm nod, "Yes, think about the mission. You don''t want to drag down yourpanions when you go on a mission, right?"


    "No." Hinata weakly shook her head and began to struggle to stand on her own, "The mission is important, I can''t drag down mypanions."


    After Mentally giving Hinata a perfect score for her Will of Fire, Naruto slowly released her. Hinata slowly stood up on her own,pleting the first step towards independence.


    "Hinata, that¡¯s great!"


    "Ah? Don¡¯t suddenly say weird things like that, I¡¯ll..." Hinata¡¯s cheeks, along with the tips of her ears, turned a deep shade of red, her shyness evident.


    ¡°This is also part of the training, you know,¡± Naruto exined.


    In the secluded alleyway, a passerby stood on the other side. He was shocked to the point of shaking with fear when he heard the boy and girl nearby talking about strange things like training.


    ¡®How can they do something like that in broad daylight?!¡¯


    ¡®Say more, I love to hear it!¡¯


    ¡®From the boy''s persuasive attitude, it was obvious that he is a veteran.¡¯ The passerby leaned against the wall and sighed silently,menting the declining morals of society.


    Just as he was sighing, more words floated over.


    "I understand. Even though it¡¯s embarrassing, I¡¯ll try my best to cooperate." Hinata lowered her head and said, "So¡­ uh¡­ how should we train?"


    "Let''s start with something simple, otherwise, if you faint again, I really won¡¯t know what to do."


    The passerby gulped, his eyes practically bulging out, ¡®Was it so exciting before I came? She fainted directly? Are they so rampant in broad daylight?¡¯


    "Alright then, Naruto-kun, I¡¯m ready." Hinata said, squeezing her eyes shut, her entire body trembling, "Go ahead."


    "Okay." Naruto looked at her flushed face and the way she kept her eyes closed tightly, with her head turned to the side. It was both absurd and somewhat amusing.


    "Trust me, as long as you train a few more times, you will get used to it slowly."


    "I trust you, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, puffing out her cheeks, looking like she was bracing herself for something terrible.


    "You¡¯re making this really hard for me." Naruto muttered, swallowing back the outrageous words he almost said. He sighed, stepped closer, and gently brushed the hair from her forehead, "Try to open your eyes and look at me first."


    "No¡­ it¡¯s too embarrassing. I can¡¯t do it.¡± Hinata closed her eyes and said, as if begging for mercy.


    "Yes, you can. Believe in yourself."


    Naruto gently cupped Hinata''s face, and in that instant, Hinata suddenly opened her eyes. Her eyes reflected a mix of shyness and a desperate urge to hide, her lips parted but unable to utter a single word.


    In the cool and quiet alley, there are no green vines climbing the walls, and the old walls was devoid of romantic elements.


    Hinata felt her face burning so hot that it could boil water, and her vision blurred with dizziness, yet there was nowhere to hide. She wanted to close her eyes, but her body refused to obey.


    Despite her flushed cheeks, trembling body, and hands clutching her pants tightly, she still felt a strange joy in this interaction. The shyness was inevitable, but there was a certain pleasure in surrendering to the moment.


    Eye contact is the quickest way to understand a person''s thoughts.


    On the other side of the wall, the passerby had their ears perked up, puzzled by theck of sound. He stroked his chin, pondering just what kind of depraved things this guy next door was doing to the girl.


    ¡®How can he make someone keep their eyes open during that?¡¯


    ¡®What a beast!¡¯


    Although Hinata said that she couldn''t do it, she was still willing to fulfill Naruto''s request. Even though her ears were burning with embarrassment, she continued to meet his gaze.


    "I told you, you can do it." Naruto encouraged her, "Hinata-chan is the best."


    "Can we stop now? I think I''m at my limit." Hinata murmured, her gaze shifting away, on the verge of tears.


    "Alright, we''ll stop for now." Naruto let go of Hinata''s hand and reminded her, "You need to have confidence. You can do it."


    "We''re going on a mission together the day after tomorrow, so we''re bound toe into contact along the way. Hinata-chan, if you''re still this shy, it could interfere with the mission."


    "I understand." Hinata whispered softly, "It''s all for the mission."


    "Exactly, it''s all for the mission."


    The passerby was dumbfounded as they listened to the sound of the two leaving, ¡®It was over so soon? What was going on? What limit? How could he¡­ that damn scumbag! The girl must have been lying to save his face. Why couldn''t I ever meet a nice girl like that? Woohoo, now I couldn''t even relieve himself properly while leaning against the wall.¡¯


    Before parting ways with Hinata, Naruto suddenly asked, "Are you going to the fireworks festival tonight?"


    "Yes, the Hyuga n participates every year."


    Hinata nodded. After the ¡®training¡¯ just now, although she was still blushing while speaking, she seemed a bit less shy.


    "So you will be with Hiashi-san the whole time?"


    "Mm-hmm. If I do anything too out of line, my father will scold me." Hinata said, sounding a bit disappointed, "The rules of the Hyuga n are very strict."


    "So, would you get in trouble if you sneaked out halfway through the event?" Naruto asked after thinking for a while.


    "Huh?" Hinata was stunned, her mind going nk.


    Naruto was just trying to rify a few things. He wasn''t sure about Ino since he hadn''t asked her. It was likely that she would attend the fireworks festival with her Ino-Shika-Cho team, and they would have to apany the n Head.


    Hinata''s situation was obviously simr, as all the children from famous ns were pretty much the same, and they didn''t have that much freedom. But it just so happened that Sakura had to be on duty tonight, so Naruto had no one to ask out.


    If all else failed, he''d just stay home and sleep.


    "Never mind, I was just asking casually." Naruto said, waving his hand, "I''m going home to rest for a bit."


    After saying that, Naruto turned and walked away.


    Hinata raised her hand halfway, then lowered it again. She wanted to call out to him, but didn''t know what to say.


    ¡®Actually, I could sneak out.¡¯

 Chapter 127 Kurama, Be My Dog

    Chapter 127 Kurama, Be My Dog


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    [Ding! Kyubi''s Approval 36%]


    Naruto, who had returned home early, found himself with nothing to do, so hey on the sofa reading a book.


    He had already nned to go out for a walk in the evening, thinking of using the fireworks festival as a cover to remove the seal of the Kyubi.


    Just as everyone''s attention was focused on the fireworks, with the loud explosions and dazzlingfireworks, who would have thought that there was someone crazy was secretly releasing the Kyubi?


    While some peoplement the shortness of midsummer, others are busy releasing monsters.


    Ino, Sakura, and Hinata were all upied, giving Naruto the perfect opportunity. The thought of trying Jashin¡¯s Dog on Kyubi hadn''t been considered before, but judging by the fox''s disgusted look, Naruto felt that it would probably work.


    ¡®A sly fox that couldn¡¯t be a charming fox spirit might as well be turned into a dog.¡¯


    "Soft? F? Pervy Sage''s material is quite interesting, and the details are in ce." Naruto muttered to himself,menting on the book he was reading while curled up on the sofa, "But this fighting style is way too perverted."


    Time passed quickly, and when Naruto opened his eyes again, it was already dark.


    The fireworks festival hadn¡¯t started yet. He didn''t have the habit of wearing a forehead protector. After measuring his height in front of the door, he dressed casually and walked out while yawning.


    Konoha Street were bustling with people,nterns lit up everywhere, and young girls and women in yukatas walked together. They wore light makeup on their faces, and the festive lights couldn''t hide their natural beauty.


    Naruto, with his shock of blond hair, wandered from food stall to food stall, asionally ncing towards the Hokage Rock, where the vigers were preparing to set off fireworks.


    ¡®It should be starting soon.¡¯ Naruto thought, his eyes darting in a particr direction just as a firework shot into the sky.


    "Wow!!"


    There were exmations everywhere, and the first huge and brilliant firework illuminated half the vige. Everyone looked up at the night sky, except for a yellow-haired guy who excitedly went into the woods.


    With the night breeze at his back, Naruto ran through the forest, panting heavily as he sprinted.


    More and more fireworks wereunched into the sky, and the violent explosions of the fireworks covered all other sounds in the night sky. The moment they wereunched into the sky, they exploded loudly and dazzlingly.


    "Ino, what are you thinking about?" Rino, dressed in a small-patterned yukata, looked at her daughter''s profile and chuckled elegantly with her hands covering her mouth.


    "Ah! Mom." Ino, who had been staring at the fireworks in a daze, suddenly came back to her senses. Like a kitten caught stealing food, her face instantly turned red and she whispered, "I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything."


    Ino was also wearing a small-patterned yukata, with indigo plum blossom patterns that suited her perfectly.


    Her fair neck and flowing blonde hair gave Ino a touch of feminine charm, making her look very beautiful.


    The small-patterned yukata wasn¡¯t shy, it was a simple, everyday garment that was easy to move in while adding a touch of intellectual grace that is unique to wives. The contrast between the unique ignorance and immaturity of a girl shows the temperament of a pretty woman to the fullest.


    "Are you sure you weren¡¯t thinking about anything?" A smile appeared on Rino''s face, and her mentality seemed to be younger in this lively atmosphere.


    "Fireworks are things that disappear in the blink of an eye after they areunched into the air. It doesn¡¯t matter if you look at them from below or from the side, whether they¡¯re round or t."


    Ino blushed as she listened to her mother''s words, and she mutteredints under her breath, ¡°Mom, please stop talking."


    Rino covered her mouth and chuckled, "You know what I¡¯m talking about."


    "I don''t know." Ino pouted, turning away in a huff.


    "Don''t be shy, Ino-chan. Talk to Mom and I¡¯ll give you some advice." Rino chased after Ino in small steps, unable to suppress her smile.


    "I don¡¯t need that kind of advice!"


    In the secluded forest, Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled, and the yellow hair on his head moved without wind.


    "System, activate the Tail-Removing Method."


    [Tail-Removing Method activated.]


    A mechanical sound echoed, and Kyubi within the seal space abruptly woke up, his enormous eyes snapping open.


    The blood-colored Chakra surged violently, but thanks to the cover of the forest and Naruto''s deliberate efforts to suppress it, it did not rise into the sky. Even so, Naruto staggered and fell to the ground.


    Kyubi¡¯scent voice suddenly burst forth, filled with brutality and mockery.


    "Hahaha! I¡¯m finally getting out!"


    "Those bastards from Konoha! Wait until I¡¯m free¡­!"


    The red bars were opened little by little, and Kyubi in Chakra state slowly detached from Naruto''s stomach. Almost at that moment, he realized that his host was just a weak kid.


    "Little brat, you are not that great, are you?" Kyubi said mockingly after half of his body came out. "I still remember how you shrank the cellst time, making me suffer for a whole month."


    "I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a day, but considering your offerings, I will still show you mercy and spare your life."


    As Kyubi escaped the Four Symbols Seal, he kept up his taunting. The pleasure of freedom made him extremely happy. He had already nned how to destroy Konoha, which is to use his Bijudama.


    Facing the taunting Kyubi, Naruto said nothing, or rather, he was in too much pain to speak. The overwhelming Chakra was washing over him like using a steel wire brush to scrub himself.


    Booms of fireworks exploded in the distance, their sounds audible even from afar.


    In the old forest, Naruto had long anticipated Kyubi¡¯s change in attitude. Konoha had imprisoned him for more than 50 years, so how could he possibly let go of his grudge just because of a little favor?


    Naruto understood this well, not because he was particrly empathetic, but because he also held grudges.


    ¡°System, hurry up, activate the Jashin¡¯s Dog.¡±


    He squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, his forehead dripping with sweat, feeling like his stomach was being torn apart.


    [Jashin¡¯s Dog is activated.]


    The seal was fully opened, but half of Kyubi¡¯s body was still stuck inside Naruto¡¯s abdomen, like a red noodle stretched to the size of a wrist.


    As a more intense malevolent aura suddenly surged from Naruto¡¯s body, Kyubi sensed a huge threat approaching. Unfortunately, since this was the crucial moment for him to break free, he also became very weak.


    "Roar! Damn human, what did you do!"


    The rising malevolent aura was darker than Kyubi¡¯s blood-red Chakra. Although it is also red, it is closer to ck. It slowly wrapped around Kyubi¡¯s escaping Chakra, covering his true form.


    The process was smooth and slick. Kyubi roared in anger, but it was futile.


    The detached, elongated, and shrunken body waspletely enveloped by the malevolent aura. The cold and slippery feeling made Kyubi feel nauseous and wanted to vomit. It was almost the same feeling as the time when Naruto forced him to swallow the Root¡¯s Shinobi.


    Domination! More domination!


    It wasn''t until the malevolent aurapletely extracted Kyubi from Naruto¡¯s abdomen, like pulling a weed, and melted it into a puddle on the grass, Naruto¡¯s pain finally eased.


    He sat down on the grass, his face showing pain but forcing a disdainful smile as he said, "Kurama! Be my dog!"

 Chapter 128 If You Are Unhappy, Just Beat Someone

    Chapter 128 If You Are Unhappy, Just Beat Someone


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    Kyubi had seen Sages, ruthless people, and women, but he had never seen someone so despicable!


    His vision was rapidly diminishing, and he felt like he was put into some sort of container, and he could clearly feel the existence of his tail. Soon, he realized that he had turned into a dog, a fiery red dog.


    A certain despicable blond-haired person walked over, taking advantage of its weakness to flip it over, then remarked with surprise, "Turns out, Biju really have no gender."


    Kyubi was furious and roared at Naruto, speaking in humannguage.


    "****! You beast--! What did you do to me? ******, you really turned me into a dog? I will ****¡­"


    Naruto looked at Kyubi, now the size of an ordinary puppy, and was immediately overjoyed.


    ¡®Jashin¡¯s Dog was so terrifying that this old fox Kyubi hadpletely be a submissive dog under my control.¡¯


    Listening to Kyubi¡¯s angry and vulgarints, Naruto wasn¡¯t too concerned. He nced at Kyubi on the ground, spread his hands, spread his handszily, and said with a mockingly casual tone.


    "Kurama, be my dog,"


    " Go to ****, you ****! How dare you turn me into a dog? I ***** you!!" Kyubi continued to shout furiously, "Alright, kid, you''re impressive. Once I regain my Chakra, the first thing I''ll do is tear you apart!"


    Saying this, Kyubi bared his fangs and lunged at Naruto.


    Just as he jumped up, he was kicked down by Naruto, who cruelly stepped on him and looked down at him with disdain.


    "Don''t you want freedom? Kurama, I¡¯ve given you freedom, and yet here you are barking like a dog? There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. There is a price to pay for anything."


    "You call this freedom? You''re turning me into a dog! --!"


    "I am just a small character with limited abilities. I''m not a great savior who saves the world." Naruto put away his yful smile and said calmly to Kyubi, who was being stepped on, "Kurama, you can¡¯t die. You have no idea how scared an ordinary person can be of death."


    "Are you turning me into a dog because you¡¯re afraid of death?" Kyubi said angrily, "You deserve to die!"


    "I deserve to die?" Naruto suddenlyughed, and stepped on Kyubi with more force. "What did I do wrong? I was just protecting myself."


    "I am not a savior at all, and I don''t have the ability to reform you. If the seal is loosened in the future, I will be the first one to die."


    "If I didn¡¯t do this, even if I begged and kneeled before you every day, would you let me go? Compared to freedom, what¡¯s the life of a mere human worth, right?"


    "Nonsense! What does this have to do with me? It was obviously you humans who provoked me first! Hundreds of years of loneliness, and repeated sealing!" Kyubi roared.


    "If you were in my ce, would you not hate it?"


    "Of course I would hate it, but grievances have their cause and debts have their master. You want revenge, I want to live, there is no conflict between our wishes." Naruto said, then sighed deeply.


    The night wind was bleak, and his voice grew colder, as if he wanted to spit out everything in his heart.


    "To be honest, Kurama, bing a Jinchuriki is the most unlucky thing that has ever happened to me in my life. I never wanted great, I just want to take it easy."


    "Whether it''s the person who sealed you into my body or the person who wanted to take your power, they are all a bunch of psychopaths!"


    "But now that things havee to this, I have no choice but to work a little harder. Finally¡­ I got the chance. Do you know how long I have been waiting for this day?"


    "You''re impressive! Just you wait, don''t let me find a chance!" Kyubi was so angry that his teeth itched. He turned his head with difficulty and bared his teeth at Naruto, "I will tear you to pieces!"


    "Then I''ll just throw you into the pack of male dogs in heat right now."


    "You wouldn''t dare?"


    "Why wouldn''t I? Those are the real beasts, they''d take turns on you without hesitation." Naruto replied nonchntly.


    "You!" Kyubi was about to go mad with rage but was too weak to fight back.


    "I''ve told you before, if I''m unhappy, I''ll beat everyone until they cry, one at a time." Naruto said, his face darkening, "If you think that I still have such a thing as a moral bottom line, go ahead and try me."


    "There are many stray dogs in the vige, and they''re not much more civilized than me."


    "Human, just you wait!" Kyubi reluctantly conceded for the moment.


    "Don''t make promises you can''t keep." Naruto looked down at Kyubi, his eyes buried in the shadows, "Although you can''t die, now that you''re housed inside this thing, if I die, you might disappear with me."


    "And don''t think my methods are dirty. There are many psychopaths who are dirtier than me."


    "Freedom is precious. Being able to run, jump and eat is the greatest blessing in the world. It doesn''t matter whether you are a dog or a Biju. No one will remember which Jinchuriki Kurama lives in."


    "Now that you''re out, you should experience the world you''ve never seen before. I''ve said my piece. Whether you listen or not is up to you."


    Kyuubi said nothing, his body heaving with anger.


    The forest was quiet, with scattered fireworks barely visible through the thick trees. The sound of fireworks exploding can be vaguely heard in the distance.


    Kyubi¡¯s body was about the size of a normal puppy, with his fiery red fur being the only noticeable difference. Naruto crouched down and picked up Kyubi.


    "Roar!"


    Kyubi turned around and tried to bite him, but Naruto quickly smacked him on the head.


    "Don''t be ungrateful! Male dog warning!"


    Hearing this, Kyubi quieted down and allowed Naruto to hold him in his arms and take him away.


    ¡­


    Hinata followed behind her father, Hiashi, with her younger sister, Hanabi, who was wearing a yukata, next to her. The silent and serious atmosphere surrounding them contrasted sharply with the festive crowd.


    A massive firework exploded above the Hokage Rock, cascading down like a giant umbre, filling the night sky with brilliant light.


    Hanabi stopped in her tracks and looked up at the night sky, with brilliant light reflected in her white pupils.


    The fleeting beauty left her strangely moved. She turned around to see her sister''s reaction, only to find Hinata looking nervous and fidgety.


    "Are you feeling unwell?" Hanabi asked with concern.


    Hinata shook her head, then nodded slightly and said with a forced smile, "I feel a bit tight in my chest. I just need to walk around."


    "Sister, I''ll walk you back." Hanabi offered as she came closer.


    "No, no, no!" Hinata waved her hands hurriedly. She was not good at lying and her face turned red instantly, "I can walk back by myself. I... I''ll be fine."


    "The fireworks festival is almost over, so let me go with you."


    "O-okay." Hinata agreed, lowering her head.


    "Hanabi, you stay here." Hiashi''s authoritative voice cut in as he turned his back to them, "You''lle with me to meet the people from Nara nter."


    "Oh." Hanabi replied, a bit disappointed.


    "Then I''ll be leaving first. Excuse me." Hinata said nervously, bowing as she prepared to leave.


    She nced up to see her father nod slightly in acknowledgment.

 Chapter 129 Hinata Wants to Stop Being Shy

    Chapter 129 Hinata Wants to Stop Being Shy


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    After receiving a nod of approval from her father, Hinata felt so nervous that her heart seemed to pound loudly in her ears, her face burning red. It wasn''t until she saw her father and Hanabi slowly walking away that she finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    As the night wind blew, Hinata pursed her lips slightly and looked around, suddenly realizing that she had no idea where to go.


    She was standing on a mountain path. If she continued further, she would reach the entrance to the Hokage Rock. The path wound its way upward, leading to the top of the monument. On one side of the path was a low cliff, and on the other side was a dense forest.


    Heading in the direction of the forest would lead to a smallke, not veryrge. If she ventured deeper, the forest paths would open up, leading to several mountain ranges.


    At the end of these mountains was an impassable cliff. The other side of the cliff is connected to the border between the Konoha Forest and the Land of Fire¡¯s forest. From there, one can go down along the narrow in to reach the Valley of the End.


    The constant popping of fireworks filled the air. Being so close to the Hokage Rock, Hinata covered her ears to muffle the sound.


    "What should I do? I forgot to ask if Naruto-kun woulde?"


    There was a rustling sound in the bushes, and Hinata was about to turn around to see what was happening, but she almost bumped into someone''s arms.


    "Hinata, are you looking for me?" The person said.


    "Ah!" Hinata quickly took a few steps backand lost her bnce.


    Naruto, with quick reflexes, grabbed her just before she could fall off the low cliff, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you by appearing out of nowhere."


    "¡­ It''s okay, um." Hinata stared at her hand, which Naruto was still holding, her face flushed red.


    "Hmm?"


    Following Hinata''s gaze, Naruto realized he was still holding her hand. However, instead of letting go, he gently squeezed it, and a firework happened to explode in the sky.


    Hinata blinked and her mouth opened slightly.


    Naruto, with no hint of embarrassment, smiled and said, "This is also part of the training."


    "Ptui!"


    Kyubi, who was held by Naruto with one hand, gave a very human-like fake spit, interrupting the tender moment.


    "What''s that? It''s so cute!" Hinata eximed, trying to pull her hand back, but found she couldn''t.


    She looked at Naruto, but he looked like he didn''t understand at all.


    Kyubi, irritated at being called cute, was about to retort and show off its sharp tongue, but Naruto, catching his intent from the corner of his eye, tightened his grip around his neck.


    "Ahem! This is a stray dog ??I picked up on the street. I''m nning to take it for breeding."


    "Bre¡­" Hinata started to say but then realized what he meant and stopped herself.


    The threatened Kyubi stopped making trouble and curled up quietly. Naruto, still holding Hinata''s small hand, continued to exin, "It''s just a thought for now. I haven''t made up my mind yet. If it turns out to be too aggressive, I''ll send it for breeding."


    "Hinata, if you like it, you can pet it."


    Hinata was a little overwhelmed as she felt the kneading sensationing from her palms.


    ¡®Naruto-kun was also working very hard to ovee his weaknesses, so how could I back down?¡¯ Such thoughts ran through her mind.


    In the end, Hinata decided to control how often she blushed.


    She was always too easily flustered in front of Naruto. After repeatedly reflecting on it, she concluded that she couldn''t keep being so shy.


    "Can I?" Hinata asked tentatively.


    "Yeah, it won''t bite." Naruto said, "I don''t think it really wants to breed right now, so it should behave."


    Hinata blinked, while the Kyubi, with a defeated look, reluctantlyplied.


    "It feels like fox fur, so warm." Hinata said softly, lowering her face slightly as she looked at Kyubi in Naruto''s arms. A genuine smile spread across her face.


    It was a smile of pure rxation, something rarely seen on Hinata''s face. At this time, she wasn''t the usualposed heiress of the Hyuga n at all. She is just a young girl, Hinata.


    ¡®It turns out that Hinata likes fluffy things like this. Well, it wasn''t surprising, as many girls liked warm and fluffy animals.¡¯


    The adorable sight almost made Naruto blurt out, "If you like it, I''ll give it to you."


    But if he says that, it will be really troublesome, because this ¡®dog¡¯ is not an ordinary puppy, but Kyubi in the appearance of a puppy.


    "¡­ Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata''s face flushed again, "I... I should head back now."


    "Huh? So soon?" Naruto, still toying with her hand, tried to prolong the moment.


    "Yeah." Hinata nodded, feeling incredibly nervous.


    "Do you like pinching little girls'' hands so much?" A slightly angry voice came from not far away, sounding unusually familiar.


    Naruto turned around and saw Ino standing there with her hands on her hips, while Rino covered her mouth as sheughed.


    "That kid''s quite popr." Rino said with a yful tone, clearly enjoying the situation.


    Hearing this, Naruto suddenly felt a little embarrassed and instinctively moved to shield Hinata. Hinata, however, quickly pulled her hand back as if she had been electrocuted, and her face turned a deep shade of red in an instant.


    Unable to handle the situation, Hinata took a few steps forward. As she passed by Ino and Mrs. Yamanaka, she paused momentarily, then bowed her head respectfully.


    After saying ¡®excuse me¡¯, both Ino and her mother returned the bow, and Hinata hurried away, her face still red.


    The night wind was cold, and suddenly only three people were left on the side of the low cliff.


    Ino frowned. She wasn''t angry because Naruto pinched Hinata''s hand. She just felt a little bit sour when she saw him instinctively moved to shield Hinata. It made her feel a tiny pang of jealousy.


    "Auntie, you look stunning tonight." Naruto subconsciously felt that Rino was the key to easing the tension, so he greeted her with a smile, "You and Ino look just like sisters when standing together."


    "Humph." Ino interrupted, trying to break his charm, "My Mom won''t fall for that!"


    "Indeed." Rino chuckled with her hands covering her mouth, "I''m no longer a young girl, but Ino is quite susceptible to such things."


    "Mom!" Ino protested, tugging at her mother yfully, "He''s just a pervert! Let''s ignore him and go home!"


    After saying that, Ino shot Naruto a sharp re.


    Naruto felt a bit helpless and could only stand there and scratched his face awkwardly. He didn''t expect that he would be caught after just touching Hinata for a while.


    "That''s the Hyuga n¡¯s child, right?" Rino asked with a gentle smile.


    "Yes, I just happened to run into her." Naruto replied honestly. No matter how borate a lie, it would eventually fall apart. As said before, sincerity was his ultimate weapon.


    "Such a sweet child." Rino remarked, then nced at the slightly dirty, fire-red puppy in Naruto''s arms and added with a smile, "Is that a puppy? Ino loves them too."


    "Yes." Naruto responded, though he wasn''t sure if Rino was referring to him or Hinata as the ¡®sweet child¡¯, he understood the additional words.


    "Thank you, Auntie." He said with a smile.


    Rino nodded slightly and said, "Ino, Mom have something to take care of. Can you get home on your own?"


    "Huh?... Oh." Ino hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.

 Chapter 130 Maybe In The Future, There Will Be An Idiot Who Wants to Marry You

    Chapter 130 Maybe In The Future, There Will Be An Idiot Who Wants to Marry You


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    "Excuse me." Rino, dressed in a small-patterned yukata, bowed to Naruto, who hurriedly returned the gesture.


    Suddenly, Naruto and Ino were the only ones left on the dimly lit path. The fireworks festival had already ended, with only a few sporadic fireworks still lighting up the night sky above Hokage Rock.


    Before she realized it, Ino noticed that her mother had already left without her noticing. She suddenly snapped back to reality.


    "I''m heading home."


    After saying this, she turned and started walking away in a huff.


    "Do you know the way?" Naruto jogged a couple of steps to catch up.


    "Sorry, I remember it very clearly." Ino didn''t want to pay attention to him and quickened her pace, as if trying to shake off an annoying person.


    "You might forget, you know? There are always people like that." Naruto said,pletely undeterred as he followed her, "For example, someone who forget their own birthdays."


    Snap, Ino stopped abruptly and lowered her head.


    "How did you know today was my birthday?"


    "I looked it up." Naruto walked in front of her, blocking her path with his body, "I thought you''d be really busy on your birthday, especially since it''s also the fireworks festival."


    "So what?" Ino asked, "You, you pervert, were you just hiding here to hold Hinata''s hand?"


    "That was an ident." Naruto grinned sheepishly, "I just ran into her by chance, I went into the forest to catch a dog."


    "Really?" Ino raised her head and nced at him with some dissatisfaction. When she saw that he was dirty and covered with grass, her frown finally eased.


    "What were you doing catching a dog?" Ino muttered.


    "Don''t you like dogs?"


    "You''re lying! My mom told you that!"


    "Oh, you heard that?"


    "Don''t treat me like air, okay? I was standing right next to my mom and heard her leak the secret to you with my own ears!" Ino puffed out her cheeks, lookingpletely annoyed.


    "I can give you this dog," Naruto said, "But it''s a bit naughty. It might steal things like underwear and panties. It might even take them back to its previous owner, which is me."


    "Roar!" Kyubi growled softly, clearly displeased, as a low rumble emanated from his throat.


    "Oh, and it''s a bit fierce too."


    "¡­ I don''t want a dog as perverted as you!" Ino couldn''t help but take a step back.


    "Ino, you''re blushing."


    "I won''t blush because of that!"


    "By the way, I''ve seen your panties. But don''t get the wrong idea, I just identally saw them while helping you fold your clothes. I didn''t do anything weird at all."


    "Pervert!!!" Ino red at him with contempt, "You''re the only one who would do something like freezing the bathwater!"


    "That''s kitchen water."


    "Who would believe that? Pervert!"


    "Anyway, it''s still early. Do you want to move on to the second half of the birthday party?" Naruto extended his hand to Ino, while holding the weakened, dog Kyubi in the other arm.


    Just as Ino was about to reach out, she suddenly remembered the moment when he had shielded Hinata, and immediately retracted her hand.


    "Hmph, I can walk on my own."


    But after taking just a few steps, Ino''s stomach let out a loud growl.


    The surroundings were a pitch-ck wilderness, so silent that only the chirping of insects could be heard. Small fireworks burst in the night sky above Hokage Rock, bringing a fleeting moment of brilliance.


    Ino was so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.


    "Didn''t you eat anything on your birthday?" Naruto asked with a bit of amusement.


    "Hmph!" Ino red at him with a red face, "You can''t eat too much before putting on a yukata. If your stomach gets too full, you can''t tighten the waist sash. The sash wraps around the waist and chest, so how could I possibly eat?"


    "If you take even a small bite, you might have to throw it up. Even water has to be sipped carefully."


    "It must be tough when your birthday coincides with the festival." Naruto said.


    "It''s really too much trouble for everyone to celebrate separately, so I just celebrated them together." Ino said, "I don''t mind. Every year around this time, my mom will apany me to the fireworks festival."


    "You''re unexpectedly considerate."


    "Isn''t that a very normal thing?" Ino couldn''t help but retort.


    "Let''s go get something to eat. Some of those food stalls might still be open." Naruto suggested.


    Ino hesitated for a moment.


    She was indeed a little hungry, but...


    "The waist sash is still tight."


    "Just take it off." Naruto said simply.


    "Are you stupid?" Ino suddenly blushed and red at him, "If I take it off, the whole outfit will fall apart."


    "You''re not wearing anything underneath?"


    "Of course I''m dressed properly!" Ino quickly covered her chest, "You''d better not have any more bad fantasies in your mind!"


    ¡°My mind ispletely nk.¡±


    "You''re not allowed to have a nk mind either! Idiot!" Ino was getting frustrated. She felt it was extremely difficult to deal with this person in front of her.


    "Come here!" Ino finally relented, beckoning Naruto over.


    "What is it?" Naruto noticed they had moved away from the path and were now hidden among a few trees. At this time, even if someone passed by, they would not be able to see them at all.


    "The sash is too tight. Help me... help me undo the sp." Ino''s head had beenpletely turned away, her face flushed and her eyes misty, as if she was doing something scandalous.


    "My mom usually helps me with this. I can''t undo it myself."


    "Okay." Naruto was also a little tempted, and threw Kyubi directly to the ground, "My hands are a bit dirty."


    "It''s fine... I mean, I¡¯ll need to change anyway tonight." Ino''s voice was a little trembling, leaving Naruto with her back, "Anyway, just hurry up."


    "Mm."


    Naruto reached out and put his hand on Ino''s waist. Ino was very nervous, her whole body was trembling slightly. Naruto steeled himself and slipped his hand between theyers of her sash.


    After fumbling around inside for a while, Ino, though tense, remained silent. Finally, she heard a metallic knock and the innermost waist sash loosened.


    "Phew~!" Ino breathed a sigh of relief, looking like she had been saved.


    But then she noticed the sudden silence around her. She turned her head sharply and saw Naruto staring intently at his hand.


    "Don''t act like you''re reminiscing, you pervert!" Ino stepped forward and twisted the inside of Naruto''s arm.


    "Ah! It hurts!" Naruto quickly mped Ino''s hand against his ribs.


    "Let go!"


    "Not unless you forgive me."


    "Fine." Ino said through gritted teeth.


    Naruto released her, but she still gave him a hard pinch. Ino looked like she had won, her eyes sparkling with mischievous triumph.


    "I know what you''re thinking." She said.


    "Then please marry me immediately."


    "Wha-?! What are you saying?" Ino backed up several steps, looking at him with disgust, "That sounds so gross."


    "You''re breaking my heart."


    "Hehe, don''t be discouraged. Maybe in the future, there will be an idiot who wants to marry you." Ino, her small-patterned yukata, sped her hands behind back, leaned forward slightly, and smiled with a sense of triumph.

 Chapter 131 One Person’s Fireworks

    Chapter 131 One Person¡¯s Fireworks


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    In that moment, Ino''s face lit up, and Naruto felt a sudden urge to marry her right then and there. Fortunately, reality quickly poured cold water on that impulse.


    "Your expression right now is really disgusting."


    "Uh... let''s just go. I''m hungry too, so let''s get something to eat together."


    Naruto, not minding the dirt, picked up Kyubi from the ground. As Kyubi bared his teeth in annoyance, Naruto skillfully gave him a quick smack.


    "Who wants to go with you?" Ino walked ahead, but nced back to check if Naruto was following.


    "What''s the harm in going together? Sitting and eating together won''t make you pregnant." Naruto added, "Holding hands might, though."


    "Stop saying weird things!" Ino turned back and red at him angrily. Taking advantage of her pause, Naruto calmly caught up, changing their formation from single file to walking side by side.


    The fireworks festival had ended, and the sparse fireworks above Hokage Rock had also stopped.


    Before they reached the brighter areas, the surrounding light was dim, and they could only make out the outlines of each other''s profiles. Neither of them spoke again, and the only sound was the rustling of grass underfoot.


    "I don''t think I''ll wash my hands for the next few days." Naruto suddenly said, breaking the silence.


    "Please die quickly!" Ino seemed to have be immune to Naruto''s words, and replied perfunctorily, "Stop saying creepy things. Didn''t you already touch Hinata''s hand?"


    "I''ve touched yours too. Can I share my thoughts?"


    "No, if you do, I''ll kill you."


    Just as Ino finished speaking, she suddenly felt her hand being enveloped by warmth. Naruto''s hand, warm like a furnace, had grasped hers without any warning.


    "What are you doing?!" Ino tensed up.


    "It''s easy to get lost at night." Naruto replied nonchntly. As their arms brushed together, the faint scent from Ino''s body made him feel a little itchy inside.


    "Who would get lost in a ce like this?" Ino lightly shook her hand, trying to break free, but it was no use.


    "Let go." She said, her voice tinged with embarrassment.


    "I¡¯ll let go when we reach the light." Naruto said.


    Ino didn''t think much of it. Seeing that the bright area wasn''t too far ahead, she pursed her lips. After a moment of consideration, she agreed.


    Naruto said he¡¯d let go when they reached the light, which seemed like a concession, but in fact, he had put forward another condition.


    "Just stop rubbing my hand!" Ino said, a bit annoyed, "I''m getting angry."


    "Then, I won''t rub you anymore." Naruto immediately behaved.


    The path wasn''t very long, and they walked in silence until they reached the light. Their shadows stretched long under themplight, leaning against each other.


    Ino looked at the shadows on the ground with aplicated expression. Naruto had stopped walking but hadn¡¯tpletely let go of her hand, he just held it loosely, but Ino could still feel the warmth in his palm.


    "Do you want to let go?" Naruto asked, turning his head to look at Ino.


    Thetter looked at him with aplicated expression, hesitated for a while and mumbled softly, "Up to you."


    A hint of a triumphant smile crossed Naruto''s face as he held Ino''s hand and started walking forward.


    "Let''s get something to eat first."


    "Okay."


    Ino seemed to have given up, letting him hold her hand as they walked into the crowd. The feeling waspletely different from thest time they held hands on the Konoha Street in the middle of the night.


    There was almost no one on Konoha Street at midnight, but at this time, there were still many people strolling around in the food street specially set up for the fireworks disy. Even though the fireworks had ended, the ce remained lively.


    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ino waspletely passive as Naruto led her through the throng. She couldn''t help but feel nervous, but also somewhat excited.


    The lights faded, and the streets were filled with people in yukatas, with the brightnterns at each small stall seemingly able to prate straight into one''s heart.


    Ino felt a bit dizzy, her head spinning as she noticed the countless people and points of light around her. Her palms were so hot that the warmth flowed along her arms into her heart, circting throughout her entire body.


    "This is really good." Naruto said, pulling Ino to line up at a small stall while holding Kyubi in his other arm. He turned to her and said, "Ino, hold this dog for a bit."


    "Huh?" Ino was stunned for a moment.


    "I need a free hand to pay."


    "Just let go." Ino suggested.


    "Absolutely not."


    Since Kyubi refused to be held by Ino and Naruto couldn''t discipline him while holding him, Ino ended up paying instead.


    "Look over there!! There are a lot of people queuing over there too."


    And so, Ino paid again.


    After several back-and-forths, Ino had paid multiple times. Although she wasn''t short on money, she hadn''t brought much while wearing a yukata, and she soon ran out of money.


    Fortunately, both of them were full, and Kyubi had also managed to snatch a few bites, bing much more docile. In the seal space, Kyubi had no interest in food, but it was a different story now that he had a physical body.


    Konoha might not be a food paradise, but for Kyubi, each bite was a novel experience.


    "He seems full." Ino observed, her gaze curiously fixed on Kyubi nestled in Naruto''s arms.


    "You fed him too much, his belly''s already." Naruto teased, "But now, you can try petting him."


    ¡°He''s so fierce.¡±


    "No matter how fierce he is, he should have some sense. After all, you''re the one who fed him." Naruto said to Ino, "I don''t think he''ll bite you. Give it a try."


    Sure enough, when Ino reached out her hand, Kyubi did not react. He just pretended to be dead and even let out a pitiful bark.


    Naruto was speechless at the sight of this scumbag fox, and he looked at Kyubi with contempt in his eyes.


    ¡®This fox had clearly decided Ino was his new sugar mama, but that''s fine, next time I''ll just trick him into thinking any money I spent was a reward from Ino. Anyway, this fox wasn''t too bright, so it was a n worth continuing.¡¯


    "His fur is so soft." Ino eximed, and mustered up the courage to pat Kyubi''s head. "He''s really well-behaved. Is it because I fed him?"


    ¡®No, he just sees you as a free food source.¡¯ Naruto mentallymented.


    "I should go back now." Ino reluctantly turned her eyes away from Kyubi.


    "Before you go, there''s one more ce I want to take you." Naruto suddenly said and handed Kyubi to Ino.


    "Where to?" Ino took Kyubi in her arms and looked up at him in confusion.


    "It''s nearby. Just follow me, and you''ll see."


    With that, Naruto led Ino away from the brightly lit food street, taking a detour through a more secluded southeast direction.


    They passed rows of old, abandoned houses and walked along an old path until they finally stopped at a quiet, unremarkable hillside.


    Ino had no idea what Naruto was up to. He let go of her hand, told her to wait there, and after giving Kyubi a warning re, ran off toward one of the abandoned houses.


    When he returned, he was carrying an armful of fireworks taller than he was.


    "What¡­?" Ino was stunned. "The fireworks festival has already passed. If you do something reckless, you will be scolded."


    "These weren''t meant for the fireworks festival." Naruto put down the bunch of fireworks and lined them up on the ground, then said without even looking up, "The fireworks disy has nothing to do with me."


    These were all bought by Naruto when he was purchasing supplies before the Konoha Crush. Later, he never found a chance to use them, so he just threw them into the seal space.


    "When your birthday and the fireworks festival fall on the same day, it''s hard to really celebrate your birthday, right?"


    "That''s true, but it''s not necessarily a bad thing."


    Ino felt a bit nervous. She had a vague idea of what Naruto was nning, and her cheeks began to feel slightly hot.


    Naruto pulled out a candle from his pocket, his palm slightly reddened as he lit it directly.


    "Here, take this."


    The faint candlelight was offered to Ino. On this remote and dark hillside, the candle was flickering like a firefly. Ino''s face flushed, and she pursed her lips and hesitated to take it.


    "It''s already toote." Ino said, turning her head aside and nervously wringing her hands. "We''ll get into trouble."


    "That''s a different matter. I wanted you to have a special birthday, with a few fireworks set off just for you.¡± Naruto said.


    "Besides, if we run fast enough, we won''t get caught. If worsees to worst, we can just abandon the dog. He''ll find his way back anyway."


    Kyubi: ¡°???¡±

 Chapter 132 Can Kyubi Do a Backflip?

    Chapter 132 Can Kyubi Do a Backflip?


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    "¡­ I understand." Ino waspletely flustered, her face flushed as she stiffly walked towards the pile of fireworks.


    Naruto stood aside and watched, with Kyubi crouching at his feet. The two of them. The man and the fox squinted their eyes on the dark hillside, waiting to see the fireworks.


    Suddenly, Ino, who was holding the candle, stopped in her tracks and turned back towards Naruto.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto asked with a bit of amusement, "You indeed look great in that yukata, but it can''t be so difficult to light a firework, right?"


    He figured it was just because the yukata made things a bit inconvenient for her, though it was true that she looked very nice in it, so he casuallyplimented her.


    Surprisingly, Ino didn''t respond as she usually would. She blinked a few times, her face reddened even more under the candlelight. She pursed her lips slightly, turned her head in another direction, and then stretched out her hand.


    "¡­ Here."


    There was nothing in her palm. If anything was being offered, it was simply her hand.


    Naruto was slightly stunned, then quickly grabbed Ino''s hand.


    "Ah! Don''t rub it!"


    "You''re the one who offered."


    "¡­ Fine, but just this once." Ino reluctantly conceded.


    The fireworks were lit, and the brilliant explosions awakened the usually quiet hillside. As soon as the fireworks were set off, Naruto and Ino bolted. Naruto held Ino''s hand in one hand and Kyubi in the other.


    The two of them, along with the dog, ran while ncing back at the fireworks. Before long, they wereughing as they ran.


    Finally, out of breath, they hid in a small alley near the fork in Konoha Street, exchanging nces with their hearts pounding.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    The fireworks festival incident passed without much trouble. Naruto had a day to rest before he had to go on a mission with Team 8 the following day.


    He hadn''t checked on Sakura again, deciding he''d visit her after the mission. If she had recovered, there was no problem. But if she hadn''t, it wasn''t necessarily a bad thing either.


    Sasuke was on the verge of being driven crazy by Itachi. It was impossible for him to fall in love, get married and have children like an ordinary person. Sasuke was too pure, seeing only ck and white, with no shades of gray.


    Such people are stubborn and live a very tiring life. They will neither retreat nor make peace, and will not be trapped by love and emotions.


    Naruto understood that Sasuke¡¯s fate was beyond resolution, and there was no need for him to get involved in his affairs.


    "There are too many psychopaths in this world." Naruto saidzily as hey on the couch. He nced at Kyubi, who was in the same posture, gnawing on a piece of meat while lounging on a smaller couch Naruto had bought specifically for him.


    "Hmm?" Kyubi responded, still chewing on the meat. "Are you talking about the Uchiha?"


    "Who else could it be except them? They''re ruthless, even to their own kin."


    "Where''s my sake?"


    "Get it yourself from the fridge."


    "You are a real dog, right? Even if I jump in my current state, I can''t reach it!"


    "Well, can you do a backflip?"


    "Little brat! Don''t push your luck. Once I regain my full strength, I''ll tear you apart!"


    "Alright, alright." Naruto yawned as he got up, slowly making his way to the fridge, "I''m looking forward to that day. After all, you¡¯ll outlive me anyway, but when will you recover from this state?"


    "If I did recover, would you still be able to stand there talking?" Kyubi¡¯szy voice came from the couch on the other side.


    "Opening a fridge isn¡¯t something you need practice for." Naruto casually opened the fridge and was about to grab the special sake he had prepared for Kyubi when a mechanical synthesized voice suddenly echoed in his mind.


    [Ding! Hinata''s affection, Kyubi''s approval: 45%]


    Seeing this line pop up on the screen, Naruto¡¯s body froze, ¡®Hadn¡¯t the mission stalled?¡¯


    Before unsealing Kyubi, Naruto had already prepared for the mission line to be stalled. If the power of Kyubi he obtained stagnated at 37%, it wouldn''t be a bad thing. At least, he wouldn''t feel guilty every time he faced Hinata.


    More importantly, he needs to separate Kyubi from himself as soon as possible. On one hand, Jashin¡¯s Dog can suppress Kyubi¡¯s ability, and on the other hand, it can also prevent Akatsuki from obtaining the Biju.


    Kyubi is now a dog, and covered in the cloak of the Jashin¡¯s Dog is equivalent to being protected by the Jashin Hidan worshipped. In other words, it is impossible to remove this cloak with human power.


    Simply put, Kyubi in Chakra State no longer exists, and even if the Sage of Six Paths were toe, he would not be able to take back Kyubi from him.


    Unless, of course, the Jashin vanished.


    But that kind of ethereal thing was almost as unsolvable as the Shinigami of the Pure Land. No one could do anything about it.


    With Kyubi being untouchable, Naruto didn¡¯t want to use Hinata as a target for increasing his strength. It was precisely because of these dual considerations that Naruto decided to seize the moment and unseal Kyubi during the fireworks festival.


    But now, it seems that whether Kyubi is in his body or not didn¡¯t affect the mission line.


    Kyubi wasn¡¯t useless, he was just being suppressed. When the Kyubi¡¯s approval mission ispleted, one person and one dog will have at least two Kyubi''sbat power. Besides, the system is very powerful, so there would surely be more optionster.


    ¡®Last time there was a dy, and this time there¡¯s a dy too.¡¯


    ¡®Forget it, no point thinking about it.¡¯


    After a few seconds of hesitation, Naruto gave up on overthinking it. Why worry so much? The world isn¡¯t that easy to destroy, and he isn¡¯t a savior.


    "Brat, why are you so slow? Did your brain get caught in the fridge door?"


    "Shut up, or we¡¯ll practice backflips this afternoon!" Naruto grabbed a bottle of sake and mmed the fridge door shut.


    He then went to the kitchen to pour himself a ss of water before walking over to the couch and cing the chilled sake in front of Kyubi. Kyubi opened the sake skillfully and drank from the bottle in a very humane way.


    A summer breeze blew through the balcony, making the wind chimes jingle softly. Man and fox tilted their heads back and drank water (sake) in unison.


    The next day.


    Naruto and Kyubi meet up with the three members of Team 8 at the entrance of the vige. They hear that the mission is to find the Bikochu, a rare insect capable of tracking scents.


    It seemed like a chain reaction; Naruto didn¡¯t care about Sasuke¡¯s whereabouts, but the higher-ups were taking it seriously. Not only had they assigned Team 8, known for their tracking skills, to find the Bikochu, but they had also dispatched arge number of Anbu to the Land of Rice Fields.


    The two advisors and Danzo had made such apelling case that even Tsunade couldn¡¯t oppose them and had to let them proceed.


    "Yo! Naruto, you¡¯ve got a dog too?" Kiba, with his hands in his pockets and Akamaru on his head, walked leisurely from a distance.


    Team 8 has already arrived. Hinata walked quietly on one side with her head down, while Shino, the insect master, maintained his usual calm and collected demeanor, standing like an unmovable mountain.


    "Shut up, you glorified Akamaru taxi!" Naruto snapped back at Kiba, as the two of them always butting heads.


    "You calling me a taxi?" Kiba rolled up his sleeves, " You want to fight, huh?"


    Akamaru, who was lying on top of Kiba''s head, stared at Kyubi for a long time. The more he looked, the more he felt that Kyubi did not resemble any dog species he knew, so Akamaru tugged frantically at Kiba¡¯s hair, trying to stop him from approaching Naruto.


    "Huh? What¡¯s that, Akamaru? Naruto¡¯s dog is dangerous?"

 Chapter 133 I’m Craving For Some Alcohol, Get Me a Bottle of a Chilled Sake

    Chapter 133 I¡¯m Craving For Some Alcohol, Get Me a Bottle of a Chilled Sake


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    s"Hey, Naruto, what''s that thing next to you?"


    ¡®Thing?¡¯ Kurama was instantly annoyed and bared his teeth at Kiba. Seeing this, Akamaru was so scared that he trembled and hid behind Kiba''s neck.


    "Hehe, just a stray dog I picked up on the side of the road." Naruto smirked, clearly proud of himself, "How is it? Does it look good?"


    "Akamaru said it''s very dangerous. Are you sure it¡¯s just a stray?" Kiba scratched his head, unsure as he looked at the dog that resembled a fox.


    "But this dog doesn¡¯t seem that fierce. Why would Akamaru be so scared?"


    "It just doesn¡¯t like you. Hinata has patted him before and nothing happened." Naruto pointed towards Hinata, who was standing not too far away, "If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Hinata toe over."


    The mission was not urgent, so Kiba, still somewhat skeptical, waved and shouted to Hinata who was not far away.


    "Hey! Hinata, can youe over for a second?"


    "Okay."


    Hinata responded and jogged over nervously. She nced at Naruto first before quickly lowering her eyes.


    "What''s up?"


    "Oh, it¡¯s like this, Hinata. Could you try to carry that dog?" Kiba warned, "You don''t have to really carry it since it¡¯s pretty fierce, just pretend to do it."


    After saying that, he added another caution.


    "I''ll be watching from the side. There won''t be any danger."


    But before he could finish, Hinata had already moved, and the supposedly fierce fox-like dog was now lying in her arms, lookingpletely harmless.


    Kiba: ¡°¡­¡±


    Naruto stood there with his arms crossed, finding the situation amusing. He then offered words of encouragement to Kiba with a grin, "Do you believe me now, brat? Don¡¯t me the path for being uneven if you can''t walk straight."


    Hearing this, Kiba''s face turned green, "The dog you raised is really the same as you. Treating everyone differently, hmph!"


    "I haven''t trained it or anything, so don¡¯t go making stuff up." Naruto spread his hands and said, "He is actingpletely on his own. Maybe it just doesn¡¯t like your face."


    "Who are you saying doesn¡¯t look like a good person!" Kiba, on the verge of another argument, began to lose his cool.


    "Calm down, Kiba." Shino, wearing his signature round ck sunsses, came over and looked at Kyubi in Hinata''s arms, "Akamaru¡¯s instincts aren¡¯t wrong. That thing is indeed very dangerous. Even my insects are afraid of it."


    "Then¡­" Kiba frowned slightly and nced in Naruto''s direction, "That guy ispletely defenseless. Should we warn him?"


    "No need for now. It doesn¡¯t seem to harbor any ill intent towards Hinata. My insects don¡¯t sense any strong hostility either, just a natural fear."


    Shino, with half his face hidden by his oversized coat, remained calm andposed, "Let¡¯s observe for a while longer."


    It takes a full two days of travel from Konoha to reach the forest where the rare Bikochu gather.


    ording to Bikochu¡¯s characteristic, these insects¡¯ eggs will only hatch after a rainfall, so the group''s speed will not affect their progress regardless of whether it is fast or slow, as no rain is expected for the next two days.


    In other words, even if they arrive early, they''ll need to wait for the rain to arrive.


    The geography of the Land of Fire, with itsck of high mountains and many hills, allows the sea breeze to blow freely, resulting in evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year. So, even if they get there without rain, they just need to wait a few days.


    After setting out, the group''s pace was leisurely, just at a normal walking speed.


    Due to their natural fear of Kyubi, Shino¡¯s insects and Kiba¡¯s Ninken, Akamaru, naturally avoided him. As a result, Kiba and Shino paired up and walked ahead, leaving Hinata and Naruto behind.


    For the mission, everyone carried backpacks, and Naruto was no exception. He stuffed a few clothes into his bag. Most of the things he needed were in the seal space, so he didn''t have to carry much.


    Whenever he needed something, he could just use his backpack as cover to pull it out. The backpack wasrge enough that pulling out a one-meter-long sword would seem reasonable, right?


    Kyubi followed along but got tired of walking on the ground a few times, so he jumped onto Naruto''s shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I''m craving for some alcohol. Get me a bottle of a chilled sake, quick."


    The only response he got was Naruto''s ruthless rejection. Naruto pulled Kyubi¡¯s neck and lowered his voice with a ferocious look on his face, "Are you crazy, or am I? You want them to see a fox-dog carrying a bottle of sake and drinking as it walks?"


    "Stop yapping. If you don''t get me a drink, I''m not moving another step." Kyubi gave him a sly look, his expression simr to Anya¡¯s from Spy x Family, "Well, are you going to get it or not?"


    "Damn it, I''m really tempted to send you off for breeding right now." Naruto''s smile turned icy.


    "Naruto-kun, are you two fighting?" Hinata gently tugged on Naruto''s sleeve, her voice filled with concern.


    "No, no." Naruto quickly turned his head away, and Kyubi also acted as if nothing had happened.


    "Tonight." Naruto whispered in a voice that only Kyubi could hear.


    "Deal."


    "That''s good then." Hinata was still a bit confused, but she could feel that the man and the dog seemed to have reached some kind of deal, and they both seemed to return to normal.


    At the front, Kiba and Shino had already walked some distance away.


    "Shino, I think I heard Naruto talking to that dog."


    "It could be a Ninken or something like that," Shino responded calmly as they walked.


    "Hey! How can you be so nonchnt?" Kiba gestured animatedly as he spoke, "It''s very strange, isn''t it? Naruto clearly said it was a stray dog before, but now it''s suddenly a Ninken!"


    "No matter how you look at it, it doesn''t make sense!"


    "Kiba, keep your voice down." Shino nced at him, the reflection from his sunsses glinting, "The world is a big ce g, anything is possible."


    "After all, Kakashi, the Jonin Instructor of Team 7, also has summoned Ninken, doesn''t he?"


    "When you put it that way¡­" Kiba scratched his head and said dejectedly, "Fine, I won''t worry about it."


    Shino was silent for a while, then nced back at Hinata and Naruto walking behind them.


    "Kiba, since we''re all members of the same team, you should trust Naruto more. He''s not the kind of person who would casually put his teammates in danger."


    "¡­ Got it."

 Chapter 134 My Dog Can Do Backflip

    Chapter 134 My Dog Can Do Backflip


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    In the afternoon, as the sun began to set, Shino used his Kikaichu¡¯s excellent scouting ability to find a perfect spot for camping. He then took the necessary items, like tents, out of his sealing scroll.


    "It''s gettingte, let''s camp here for the night." Shino, always concise, decisively gave the order.


    "Okay." The three responded in unison.


    The team leader was Shino, and Hinata and Kiba cooperated seamlessly with him. Naruto, too, had no objections.


    Not far from their campsite, there was a small waterfall and a pond. The four of them divided the tasks: Kiba and Naruto were responsible for setting up the tent, Hinata went to collect firewood, and Shino went to fetch water.


    "Hey, is that side secured yet? Damn it!" Kiba asked, looking up.


    "It''s done, it''s done. Stop rushing me." Naruto replied, sounding a bit impatient, "Even Akamaru has better manners than you!"


    "You bastard¡­!"


    While bickering, the two quickly set up the tent, which was spacious enough for all four of them to sleep.


    Hinata soon returned from the forest, carrying a bundle of dry branches. There were many wild beasts in the forest, and Shinobi would not use Ninjutsu to deal with them unless necessary.


    Fire was the best way to keep animals at bay. In more dangerous missions, starting a fire might be avoided due to the risk of attracting enemies.


    However, since this mission was about finding the Bikochu, which was more of a search mission, there wasn¡¯t much danger anticipated, so making a fire was allowed.


    Coincidentally, Shino came back from scouting the area at this time. He had already set up his Kikaichu for surveince around the perimeter, while alsopleting the task of fetching water.


    "We can start the fire and boil some water now," Shino said.


    "Alright, I''ll do it."


    Kiba swiftly pulled out a fire-starting tool from his pocket. It was something simr to a lighter, which used a small amount of Chakra as fuel to ignite.


    It won''t explode in fire or get damaged in rain, so it is a must-have ck technology in the Shinobi World for home and travel. Its principle is actually to convert the Shinobi¡¯s Chakra into Fire Attribute Chakra, just enough to start a fire.


    Hinata and Shino were already seated by the fire, taking out some dry food, preparing to have a quick meal and then go straight to sleep and rest.


    "Naruto-kun, this is for you." Hinata, with her face flushed, took out a red fruit from her bag and handed it to Naruto, thinking that he might not have brought enough food.


    Shino and Kiba also opened their bags, and with the water in the pot just beginning to heat. Looking at Naruto who was standing motionless beside them, Shino spoke, "If you didn''t bring any food, we can share some with you."


    "Beg me, and I might even share mine with you." Kiba added with a smug grin.


    "It¡¯s not that¡­ I brought some." Naruto said, taking the fruit from Hinata with a grateful nod. He then pointed towards the nearby pond and asked, "Now that there¡¯s fire, why not catch some fish?"


    "Fishing is a hassle and wastes our rest time." Shino replied calmly.


    "The pond is very deep and getting in the water is tricky. Even if you try, you won''t catch many fish." Kiba added.


    "Woof!" Akamaru couldn¡¯t talk, so he barked in agreement.


    "Wait for me, I''ll give it a try." Naruto dashed toward the tent and pulled out a long fishing rod from his bag, leaving Kiba with his jaw practically on the ground.


    "How the heck do you have something like that in your bag?"


    "It¡¯s foldable!" Naruto shouted as he ran off with the pole. Kyubi nced at him before trotting after him.


    "H-He¡­!!" Kiba looked at the direction where Naruto disappeared, then looked at Shino, "Shino, Hinata, why didn¡¯t you stop him?"


    Shino stared at the dry food in his hands and said, " I¡¯d like some fish too."


    Hinata, not yet starting on her dried food, quietly added, "Naruto-kun is really good at fishing."


    "Yeah, right!" Kiba grumbled, but he couldn¡¯t help but remembered Naruto¡¯s boast during the Chunin Exams about nearly getting sick from eating too much grilled fish.


    After some hesitation, he put away his dried food as well.


    Suddenly the atmosphere grew a bit awkward as the three of them watched the crackling fire in silence, listening to the slow bubbling of the pot. It felt like they were waiting for something magical to happen, much like SpongeBob and Patrick waiting after being told by the Magic Conch.


    "I can¡¯t take this¡­ I¡¯m going to check on him." Kiba couldn''t stand it anymore and stood up first, "I don¡¯t believe that guy is as good as he says. If he¡¯s just squatting there stupidly all night, I¡¯m dragging him back."


    "I''ll go too." Hinata said, standing up in a bit of a rush.


    Meanwhile, by the riverbank.


    "Brat! Give me that bottle!" Kyuubi kept pestering Naruto, "Don''t be ungrateful!


    "Don''t even think about it. I said you¡¯ll get it tonight, so tonight it is." Naruto replied, smoothly cleaning and gutting fish as he kept pulling them in one after another, "And if you drink at night, go to a ce far away, preferably right here."


    "Kikaichu don''t usually stay near water, so if you could drink while soaking in the water, that would be even better."


    "You¡¯re the dog here!" Kyubi scoffed, "If you want me to drink in the water, I might as well do a backflip right then and there."


    Without missing a beat, Naruto shot back, "You said it. I¡¯ll hold you to it tonight. And if you back out, I¡¯ll send you off to breed."


    Within a few minutes, Naruto had a bucket full of freshly cleaned fish. Kyubi looked at him with aplicated expression, as if to say, ¡®You''re serious?¡¯.


    But facing the male dog warning, Kyubi didn''t dare to say something like ¡®I was just talking casually¡¯.


    So, Kiba and Hinata had barely taken a few steps when Naruto returned, carrying the bucket full of fish.


    "Where are you two going?" He asked puzzledly.


    It was not toote yet, and the sun was still setting in the west, casting a warm glow over the three of them. Not far away, Shino remained near the campfire, as still as a statue, but his round sunsses glinted as he focused on the small metal bucket in Naruto¡¯s hand.


    Shino distinctly remembered Naruto leaving without a bucket, yet here he was with one, ¡®Did he really bring a space-time scroll with him?¡¯


    But that didn¡¯t concern him much. Being a disciple of one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, it wasn¡¯t surprising for Naruto to have such things.


    "Is that really fish?" Kiba asked, his excitement evident, "You¡¯re actually pretty good, huh?"


    Naruto showed a smug grin and said, "Ninjutsu is my talent, but fishing is my passion!"


    "Oh, by the way, my dog can do backflips."

 Chapter 135 Hinata is Still Awake

    Chapter 135 Hinata is Still Awake


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    The aroma of grilled fish slowly and steadily filled the air. Naruto pulled out a few simple seasonings from his backpack and sprinkled them evenly over the fish.


    As the fire roared and time flew by, each team member took turns washing up since the water source was a bit of a distance from the tent. Shino, being an insect master, had to be careful about getting into the water. Kiba preferred washing up with Akamaru, and Hinata nned to train a bit longer before cleaning up.


    Naruto walked downstream, carrying the Kyubi with him, and casually tossed the fox into the water, along with a bottle of sake. He stood on the riverbank, arms crossed, watching the fox drink.


    ¡°You¡¯re really doing this?" Kyubi surfaced, baring its fangs in annoyance.


    "Hurry up and drink. Stop dragging it out." Naruto said nonchntly, throwing a few more bottles into the water. Yawning, he added, "I¡¯m going to take a bath nearby. Call me when you¡¯re done."


    Kyubi didn''t answer, but gathered all the bottles on a reef while soaking in the water and leaned against the reef to avoid the rushing currents. Under the moonlight, the waterfall glistened like silver, and the fox, with both paws on the bottles, gulped down the sake.


    Not long after, Naruto carried the drunk Kyubi back to the tent after having thoroughly scrubbed him in the water, and threw him next to the extinguished campfireto dry.


    Inside the tent.


    "Why are you so afraid of me?" Naruto couldn''t understand and frowned as he looked at Akamaru and Shino who were keeping their distance.


    "The insects are uneasy." Shino said, staring at the drunken Kyubi in the corner.


    "Naruto, what on earth did you bring back with you?" Kiba held the trembling Akamaru in his arms helplessly, "Akamaru¡¯s scared out of his mind."


    "What? It¡¯s just an ordinary fox dog." Under the bright yellow tent light, Naruto gently kicked thepletely knocked-out Kyubi, "Look, it¡¯s out cold now. How scary can it be?"


    "Anyway, let¡¯s wait for Hinata toe back, and then ask her if she''s willing to sleep next to you." Shino put his hands in his pockets and said, "It''s hard to ovee the fear rooted in instinct of living things in a short period of time."


    Akamaru clung tightly to Kiba, his paws digging in, refusing to let go.


    Outside, footsteps approached. Hinata lifted the tent p and walked in. She usually gave herself extra training to improve her strength.


    "Ah, perfect timing, Hinata." Kiba walked over and pointed to the spot next to Naruto, then said, "Hinata, you should sleep next to that guy."


    "Ah!" Hinata¡¯s carefully built mental preparation crumbled instantly. Her face flushed a deep crimson, and she trembled as she weakly replied, "O-Okay."


    Kiba was stunned for a moment and didn''t hear her clearly, and he seemed to have realized the awkward implication of his words. Just as he was about to exin, Shino spoke, "Both my insects and Akamaru are afraid of Naruto¡¯s fox dog, so we¡¯re asking you to sleep there instead, Hinata."


    Everyone had their own sleeping bags, and the tent was spacious enough that where they slept shouldn¡¯t matter. But even if Kyubi was drunk, his oppressive power over the lower-level animals was still strong.


    Hinata was too shy to say anything, and Naruto, already in his sleeping robe, squinted at the quietly conversing group. Raising his voice, he said, "Actually, I could just toss this thing outside and bring him back in the morning. He won¡¯t even notice."


    As soon as the words fell, the tent fell silent instantly, and Shino, Kiba, and Hinata all turned to look at Kyubi sprawled out in the corner.


    The drunken Kyubi, unaware of his impending fate, rolled over and continued sleeping.


    "Absolutely not!" Kiba, a staunch dog lover, reacted strongly, and rebuked, "It¡¯s yourpanion too! How can you treat a dog you¡¯ve adopted like that?!"


    Shino didn''t say anything, but subtly nodded in agreement with Kiba''s point of view.


    There is an insect master and a dog trainer in Team 8. Both from ns that had dealt with animals for generations, so naturally, they cherished their pets more than ordinary people.


    "Alright, alright." Naruto chuckled awkwardly, ¡®Thanks to these two, this stupid fox escaped the fate of being thrown outside.¡¯


    "But, won''t Hinata get embarrassed?" Naruto suddenly pointed at Hinata and said, "After all, I¡¯m different from you guys who had been teammate and trained together every day. This is the first time I''m sharing a tent with you guys."


    "You bastard! Don''t say it in such a disgusting way!" Kiba retorted, visibly repulsed, "If you try anything funny with Hinata, I¡¯ll beat you up."


    "Huh? Did you say something? Your words are like gibberish to me."


    "You¡­!"


    Looking at the two people who continued to bicker, Shino took a step forward and said to Hinata.


    "Hinata, are you okay with this?"


    "I¡­" Hinata''s face turned crimson and she lowered her eyes. She had already said it once, but no one heard her. Saying it again...


    "It''s okay. If it¡¯s too ufortable, I can take that spot." Shino offered in a neutral tone.


    "¡­ But your insects won''t be able to bear it, right?"


    "True, even just being in the same tent is already making them uneasy." Shino said truthfully.


    "In that case, I-I can do it." Hinata said, lowering her gaze even further, her voice growing softer, "I don¡¯t want to trouble everyone."


    Shino didn''t say anything, unsure of what else to say for a moment. The Hyuga n¡¯s emphasis on not causing trouble for others was deeply ingrained, so he could only nod.


    The tent gradually grew quiet as the four settled into their sleeping bags, lined up in a row.


    Naruto was on the far left, with Hinata next to him. Kiba, who was holding the trembling Akamaru, was beside her, and Shinoy on the far right.


    Perhaps because the insects were more sensitive than dogs, the insects in Shino¡¯s body remained extremely uneasy. The cause of all this, Kyubi, was sound asleep in the corner of the tent.


    In the middle of the night, Hinata, who was too nervous to sleep, opened her eyes, gasping softly. Her left cheek felt burning hot, as if it were being roasted over a fire.


    For no reason, she suddenly thought of the campfire, the grilled fish, and the embarrassing incident that happened the day before yesterday.


    Being caught in such a situation by Ino and her mother¡­ Though she was too tense to notice at the time, it still had made her so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t sleep all night after crawling into bed at home.


    Now, recalling that feeling, Hinata''s face flushed again.


    She instinctively shook her head, trying to calm herself down. But at that moment, Hinata suddenly saw out of the corner of her eye that Naruto had opened his eyes and seemed like he had been watching her all along.


    Naruto, still half-asleep, noticed Hinata moving around restlessly after opening his eyes, so he stared at her for a while.


    Hinata''s body suddenly froze, and she turned her head to look at Naruto. A surge of unfamiliar, bittersweet emotion washed over her, making her feel as if her entire body was softening.


    Her heart was pounding wildly, and the dim environment made her feel both ashamed and anxious, as if she were about to burst into steam.


    Even though Naruto said nothing and just looked at her, Hinata felt as if she could hear his voice echoing in her ears.


    ¡®This is also part of the training.¡¯


    ¡®That kind of thing¡­¡¯ Hinata''s mind turned to mush and her face was getting hot, so hot that she thought she might faint.

 Chapter 136 I Want to Experience What It’s Like to Be Relied On

    Chapter 136 I Want to Experience What It¡¯s Like to Be Relied On


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    The light inside the tent was too dim to see clearly. Naruto could only make out Hinata''s general outline, and could feel that she seemed a little uneasy at the moment.


    Hinata¡¯s mind was in a whirlwind of emotions, filled with scenarios like ¡®I can''t secretly hold your hand behind our teammates'' backs¡¯, making her so embarrassed that she felt like she might explode.


    Just as she was lost in her confusion, she heard a faint rustling sound near her ear. Suddenly, she felt a hand rest on her forehead, gently patting it as if tofort her.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Hinata, whose shoulders had been trembling slightly, immediately calmed down, her eyes misting over.


    The next day, before dawn.


    Hinata opened her eyes and found that Naruto¡¯s sleeping spot was empty. Her expression was nk for a moment before she quickly came back to her senses.


    ¡®It seemed that I had faintedst night.¡¯


    Curling up, she carefully cupped her gradually blushing face, as if trying to hide her small, flustered self.


    The morning mist still lingered as the group set out again.


    Due to their wariness of Naruto''s fox dog, Shino and Kiba walked together, maintaining a considerable distance between themselves and Hinata and Naruto.


    Seeing the gap between the two groups, Hinata and Naruto exchanged a small smile.


    "We should be able to reach our destination today," Hinata said softly.


    "Well, do you still need to train today?" Naruto asked, referring to Hinata¡¯s routine of spending extra time on training. Yesterday, she had trained untilte before returning.


    Hinata nodded and said, "If I can''t keep up with Kiba and the others, I¡¯ll only be a burden to everyone."


    She nced at Naruto, who seemed to havepletely forgotten about what happened the night before and showed no sign of bringing it up. She couldn''t help but pursed her lips, her thoughts in turmoil.


    Sure enough, when the group set up camp again, Hinata quietly went off on her own to train.


    Since this ce is deep in the heart of the Land of Fire¡¯s forest, surrounded by towering trees, sleeping in the trees would be safer than setting up a tent. Lighting a fire in the old forest is not a good option, so the four of them can only make do with dry rations.


    "We should reach our destination by midday tomorrow, so there¡¯s no need to rush." <span>??Shino said, crawling into his sleeping bag first.


    At this time, sky was still not fully dark, and Kiba also got into his sleeping bag. From a distance, Shino and Kiba¡¯s sleeping bags looked like two bugs firmly attached to the tree trunk, neatly lined up together.


    Naruto was not sleepy, so grabbed Kyubi by the scruff of his neck and went to find Hinata. After all, staying there would only make Akamaru and the insects uneasy all night.


    In the forest.


    Hinata fiercely struck out with her palm, sending a st of wind, her hand surrounded by a fineyer of blue Chakra.


    The Hyuga n¡¯s Shinobi excelled in close-quartersbat and mid-range attacks, using Chakra to form needles to pierce their enemies. As she was doing now, Hinata was practicing her air palm, honing her fundamental skills.


    "Hinata." Naruto, holding Kyubi,nded in the clearing and walked up to her in a few steps.


    "Naruto-kun, what are you doing here?"


    Hinata stopped her air palm practice, suddenly realizing that she was only wearing a quick-drying fis training outfit for convenience. She immediately felt unsure of where to put her hands.


    Noticing Hinata crossing her arms in front of her, Naruto awkwardly averted his gaze and said, "I came to check on you."


    "Okay." Hinata lowered her head and said nothing more.


    "Since I have nothing to do, why don''t I train with you?"


    "Ah, is that okay?" Hinata did not refuse. She always remembered not to be shy, and tried to ask in what she thought was a calm tone.


    "Of course it¡¯s okay. I actually enjoy spending time with you, Hinata."


    "Eh?" Hinata became flustered again, waving her hands in a panic, blurting out, "N-No way, people like me only cause trouble for others."


    "Honestly, I''d really like to be bothered by you, Hinata."


    "T-That kind of... that kind of thing¡­" Hinata''s face turned even redder, "I¡¯d feel useless if I did that."


    "It''s not like that." Naruto denied, "It''s good to work hard, but don''t put too much pressure on yourself all at once. Hinata, you''re actually really strong, you just haven''t had the chance to show it."


    "But¡­" Hinata pursed her lips and didn''t dare to look up.


    "In any case, bing strong is a long process, not something that happens overnight." Naruto said earnestly, though he was perhaps the least qualified to say such words, doing so without a hint of embarrassment.


    This certainzy individual with a system casually reached out, patting Hinata''s head, taking full advantage of his recent growth spurt in height.


    A few months ago, he had been the shortest among his peers and had harbored an almost pathological jealousy of anyone taller. Now, his mindset was finally stable, and he reveled in a shameless sense of satisfaction.


    Naruto narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Before you be stronger, Hinata, I''d really like to know what it feels like to be relied on by you."


    At these words, Hinata''s mind wentpletely nk.


    When she was a child, her father had criticized her for being weak and timid, not fit for any significant role, telling her that it was enough just to be someone who didn''t cause trouble for others. So, she had grown increasingly timid, more and more afraid of fighting with others.


    With someone she liked, she was even more timid, always feeling as though she was on the edge of a cliff, too scared to make any move toward closeness. She feared troubling others and didn¡¯t know how to deal with the consequences.


    Even though the people around her were kind and repeatedly told her not to worry about bothering them, it wasn¡¯t the same. The more they reassured her, the more she wanted to prove herself.


    ¡®But now... the person I liked had just said he wanted to know what it felt like to be relied on by me.¡¯


    ¡®Although it was embarrassing, somehow¡­¡¯


    "Ah¡­"


    To her surprise, Hinata didn¡¯t blush. Instead, she smiled with her lips pressed together, though tears started to fall uncontrobly, like autumn leaves that couldn''t be stopped.


    "Are you crying?" Naruto''s words ruined the atmosphere.


    Fortunately, Hinata had already calmed down by then. At this moment, she was stimted by hisment and her face turned red again. She quickly covered her flushed cheeks with her hands.


    "Ah! I-I''m not, I just..."


    "Then I''ll give you a gift as an apology." Naruto suddenly said. Hinata couldn''t keep up with his thoughts and, before she could react, found a kunai ced in her hand.


    It was an ordinary kunai, but the handle had a special rune, as if it had been hastily carved not too long ago.


    "This is?"


    "It''s just an ordinary kunai." Naruto exined, "The thing at the end is just for decoration. Anyway, you should keep it with you."


    Naruto felt somewhat helpless. The system only gave him one Flying Thunder God Kunai, so if he wanted a second one, he''d have to make it himself. However, he wasn¡¯t very good at that sort of thing, so he had to settle for a makeshift version whenever he had time.


    It could be used, but how many times it would work was another matter.


    "Alright, thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata carefully stored the kunai, cing it in the innermostyer of her ninja tool pouch.


    "Um¡­" Hinata seemed to remember something, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.


    "Just remember what I said earlier," Naruto said, "And don''t cry anymore."

 Chapter 137 Sly Fox, You’re Good At Playing!

    Chapter 137 Sly Fox, You¡¯re Good At ying!


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    "What are those two brats doing over there, crying andughing instead of obediently searching for the Bikochu?"


    A voice sounded in the darkness, and three Shinobi, a woman and two men, revealed themselves from their camouge in front of a tree trunk. The woman, Suzumebachi, frowned as she observed Hinata and Naruto from a distance.


    Jibachi, the blonde-haired man with a face that looked like a scumbag, adjusted his sses and sneered, "Probably ying Shinobi house."


    Therge, dark-skinned ninja, Kurobachi, clenched his fists and said, "Why don''t we tie up those two pieces of trash and force the remaining two go find the Bikochu?"


    "Let''s wait a bit longer. Bikochu is crucial for the revival of our Kamizuru n. We must not let it fall into the hands of those little Konoha brats." Suzumebachi said.


    "Also, one of the other two brats seems to be from the Aburame n."


    "The Aburame n!" Kurobachi gritted his teeth and said, "If it weren''t for them, our Kamizuru n wouldn''t have declined to this point."


    The weaselly-looking Jibachi smirked and said, "Which is why we can''t let them off. But they''re just a bunch of Genin. It won''t be toote to torture them slowly after they find the Bikochu."


    "However, we should still be cautious. The closer we get to them, the more agitated the bees we''ve summoned be." Suzumebachi added.


    "Hehe, so that means we just need to keep an eye on that brat from the Aburame n." Jibachi said.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Naruto and Team 8 arrived at the valley where Bikochu were located. It was a round, sunken basin that, when viewed from above, resembled the most primitive and dense forest.


    The view was one of lush greenery, with towering trees and thick vines blocking out the sun. At first nce, the entire area looked like a giant natural insect terrarium, with shades of green overwhelming thendscape.


    Standing on the edge of the cliff at the basin¡¯s rim, Naruto shaded his eyes from the harsh sunlight as he squinted into the distance.


    The sunlight illuminated the center of the basin, and Naruto could almost see wisps of smoke rising from it. The forest in many ces seemed unnaturally dense, as if wild green monsters were growing unchecked.


    "Where the heck is this Bikochu?" Narutoined, "If we have to search every inch, how long will it take to find them?"


    "It''s right down there." Shino said, standing on the edge of the cliff.


    "Then what are you waiting for? Let''s go down now." Kiba said, "The sooner we find it, the sooner we can go back. We''ve got a few tails following us, too."


    They had long discovered the three Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi with poor hiding skills, but in order not to disturb the habitat of the already endangered Bikochu, they decided to catch the insect first before dealing with their tails.


    "Naruto, you should stay here." Shino suddenly said.


    "Huh?" Hinata was the first to react.


    "Bikochu is right below us, and it''ll get scared off by Naruto''s fox dog." Shino exined, pointing to the circr basin below, "Naruto, stay here while we go down and search for a while."


    "If the three of us fail to find it, then Naruto wille down with the fox dog to flush out any insects hiding in the shadows, and we''ll finish up together."


    What Shino meant by ¡®finish up¡¯ was dealing with the three Shinobi following them. With four against three, they had the advantage.


    "Fine by me. I''ll just wait for you guys here." Naruto replied nonchntly.


    Watching the other three slowly descend the cliff, Naruto immediately pulled out his sleeping bag and, without a second thought, found a shady spot and crawled in.


    Kyubi, on the other hand, was in a hurry.


    "Brat, get the sake out before you sleep! I''m dying for a drink! Hurry up!"


    "Tsk." Naruto nced at Kyubi and said disdainfully, "Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think you had a... sexually transmitted disease. There''s no sake around this season, and doing missions is hard work, you know."


    "You think I look like someone with money? I''m secretly in debt for tens of millions of ryo."


    "Then make that woman pay off your debt!" Kyubi said without any hesitation, "Get some money and buy me some sake!"


    "Living off a woman?" Naruto curled up in his blue sleeping bag like a wriggling worm, poking his head out to re at Kurama and shouted excitedly, "What? Do you think I''m some kind of shameless freeloader?"


    "¡­ Aren¡¯t you?" Kyubi said hesitantly, "Your moral bottom line is the worst I have seen in the past hundreds of years..."


    "Enough! Shut up! I don''t want to hear it anymore!" Naruto cut him off.


    "So, you''re going to get me the sake?"


    "No, I just don''t want to hear you talk anymore. Goin somewhere else." Naruto rolled over, "Besides, I work very hard every day. It''s about time you pull your weight and contribute to the household!"


    "Go to hell, brat!" Kyubi lunged at him and swung his ws.


    "Kurama, you''ve crossed the line!" Naruto quickly rolled out of the way, jumping out of his sleeping bag and drawing the Kusanagi Sword!


    "I''ve had enough of you, brat!" Kyubi bared his teeth, revealing rows of sharp fangs, "Today, I''m going to show you what a Biju really is!"


    With that, Kyubi tilted his neck back, and a small Bijudama appeared directly in his throat!


    In an instant, the cliffside was engulfed in a whirlwind of sand and stone. Half the cliff dimmed as an overwhelmingly terrifying aura filled the air.


    At the foot of the cliff, the three members of Team 8 and the three Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi that followed them all looked up towards the cliff in shock.


    "Naruto is still up there." Hinata instinctively turned, already running dozens of meters before stopping herself and looking back at Shino.


    "Let''s go and take a look!" Shino made the decision almost instantly.


    But just as quickly, everything returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.


    "What''s going on?" Kiba frowned deeply and was about to say something when he was stopped by Shino.


    "Kiba, don''t move! The Bikochu is right at your foot!"


    The three of them stopped moving. They didn¡¯t know about the situation on the cliff. It seemed like just a minor incident. However, the disturbance had scared the Bikochu out of hiding, creating a situation where they had to choose between two options.


    Hinata was the one closest to the cliff, and Shino immediately said, "Hinata, you go check on Naruto. Kiba and I will handle things here."


    "Okay!"


    On the cliff, Naruto snapped his fingers, and Kyubi¡¯s Bijudama suddenly vanished, while Kyubi instantly became weak and exhausted. Narutozily grabbed Kyubi, rubbing the Kusanagi Sword back and forth across his fur.


    "What were you saying earlier? I told you to behave! So behave yourself!" Naruto quickly sheathed the Kusanagi Sword and gave Kurama a couple of solid knocks.


    Kyubi,pletely drained of energy, hung limply in Naruto''s grasp like a defeated dog, his eyes filled with despair.


    "I was wondering why you suddenly became an alcoholic. Turns out drinking helps you regain your strength. Sly Fox, you¡¯re good at ying!"


    Naruto casually carried Kyubi towards the edge of the cliff. He wanted to see if anyone came up to check the situation. As he peeked over, he saw Hinata rushing toward him.


    He was about to wave and signal that he was fine when he suddenly froze. At this time, Hinata was followed by a swarm of bees.

 Chapter 138 The Byakugan is Pretty

    Chapter 138 The Byakugan is Pretty


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    Hinata kept running, jumping over the bushes, and then diving to the ground to slow down, trying to use the terrain to shake off the swarm of bees chasing her.


    The Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi behind her were relentlessly pursuing, constantly using tree trunks as footholds to dive down towards her, giving her no chance to catch her breath.


    "Catch her!" Suzumebachi shouted, "It''s toote to grab the Bikochu, let¡¯s just use her to make a trade!"


    "She can''t escape!" Jibachi suddenly sped up, disappearing from his spot. In the next instant, he reappeared in front of Hinata, his face twisted into a sneer as he adjusted his sses, " Where do you think you''re going!"


    From above the cliff, if Naruto waited to climb down, it would be toote.


    If he wanted to use the iplete version of the Flying Thunder God Technique, he can''t use it too because the distance is too far. The cliff''s vertical height alone was several hundred meters, making it impossible to activate.


    But seeing that time was running out, Naruto didn''t hesitate at all. He could only use the simplest method to shorten the distance, which is jumping off the cliff!


    He flung Kyubi aside, and after a sprint from the top of the cliff, he leaped off. In free fall, he held a Flying Thunder God kunai tightly in his hand.


    Just before the swarm of bees could reach Hinata, there was a whoosh, and Naruto activated the Flying Thunder God Technique barely in time.


    The kunai with the Flying Thunder God¡¯s imprint hidden in Hinata''s ninja tool pouch cracked with a snap, and Naruto instantly teleported, narrowly avoiding the fate of being smashed into a pulp on the ground.


    Hinata felt herself being caught in a strong embrace, and to her surprise, Naruto''s hand had reached into her sweatshirt and wrapped around her, holding her securely.


    The blood-red Kyubi¡¯s Chakra erupted, with the first tail unleashed.


    The scorching Chakra whirlwind instantly blew away the swarm of bees, and Naruto hurled the Flying Thunder God kunai at the bespectacled ninja. Now, with Hinata in his arms, he couldn''t fully unleash his full power against these three enemies.


    In realbat, opportunities can change in an instant. Giving the enemy even a moment to breathe could be the difference between victory and a crushing defeat.


    Naruto used to read a lot, so his heart has long been dirty beyond measure.


    In a group of three, there is always a weak one to be killed!


    In front of everyone, he immediately targeted the besp bespectacled Shinobi, who was closest to him. When he easily dodged the Flying Thunder God Kunai, Naruto acted.


    Putting Hinata down, he held a Kusanagi Sword in his other hand. At the moment when he appeared beside the Flying Thunder God Kunai, he shed upward, and the bespectacled Shinobi froze for a moment.


    In that brief moment, the bespectacled Shinobi felt a cold sensation on his neck and then saw his body spinning around.


    The scene was somewhat indescribable. The moment Narutonded, he grabbed the Flying Thunder God Kunai and ran a few steps. He turned around to see Hinata rolling away, avoiding the stter of blood.


    The other two Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi were stunned for a moment. They hadn''t seen how theirpanion had died, and now they were witnessing a vivid disy of carnage.


    "Don''t look over there." Naruto said, covering Hinata''s eyes.


    Suzumebachi stood there in a daze, staring at Naruto''s golden hair with her eyes wide open. When Kurobachi g next to her was about to attack, she stopped him.


    "Let''s go!"


    Naruto didn''t stop them, only watching as the Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi fled in panic before asking Hinata, "Did you find the Bikochu?"


    "Yeah, we found it." Hinata felt a little hot around her eyes as they were covered, "Shino and Kiba should have sessfully caught it."


    "Naruto-kun."


    "Yes?"


    "You don''t need to cover my eyes. I had my Byakugan activated."


    "Uh¡­" Naruto awkwardly moved his hand away and then tugged Hinata along as they walked back, "It¡¯s better not to see scenes like that too often. It¡¯s bad for your mental health."


    "Hey, you look pretty good with your Byakugan activated." Naruto said as he leaned in closer to Hinata¡¯s face and looked at her carefully.


    "Ah! Don¡¯t look at me in this state!" Hinata quickly covered her eyes, momentarily forgetting to deactivate her Byakugan in her panic. It took her a few seconds to finally deactivated it.


    When the Byakugan is activated, the veins around the eyes be prominent, the pupils shrink, and fine lines appear inside the eyes, giving them a menacing and intimidating look.


    "It''s really beautiful. Can you see through things with it?" Naruto asked curiously.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t ask about that, Naruto-kun." Hinata stammered, her cheeks growing hot with embarrassment, and she ran off to hide her fluster.


    Naruto was only trying to change the subject to distract Hinata, hoping she wouldn¡¯t dwell on the gruesome scene from earlier. Hinata was different from him. Her role in the reconnaissance team meant she didn¡¯t often have to kill.


    Unlike their Team 7, who often followed Kakashi on cross-border missions that involved single-target assassinations and bloodshed. They had seen so much gore that they had be desensitized to them.


    Once this mission was over, Naruto figured he¡¯d likely return to Team 7, perhaps asionally being borrowed by other teams for other missions.


    Kakashi''s skill level was still high, and among Konoha¡¯s Jonin, only Guy could rival him. What was even more admirable was that Kakashi never cked off.


    Even though he was nearly thirty, Kakashi, a former genius, still felt the need to train hard and continuously improve his skills. It is precisely because of this that he is regarded as a lifelong rival by the passionate Guy.


    With the Bikochu Mission sessfullypleted, Naruto collected the mission pay and then holed up at home.


    Tsunade hadn¡¯t given him any new missions for the time being, and she seemed unusually busytely. He wasn¡¯t sure what had happened, but he knew that Sakura had sessfully begun training under Tsunade¡¯s tutge.


    As the fan hummed, Naruto reached into the fridge, grabbed an ice cream, and tossed a bottle of sake to Kyubi, who was lounging in the corner.


    Kyubi looked at Naruto licking the ice cream in surprise and asked, "Aren''t you afraid that I will regain my strength?"


    Without turning his head, Naruto slumped onto the couch like azy cat, and said, " Come on, it¡¯ll take you forever to get your strength back. Life¡¯s short, so why not enjoy it?"


    "My life isn¡¯t exactly short." Kyubi grumbled, puffing up his two paws as he dragged the bottle toward his little couch.


    "Not yours, I¡¯m talking about mine. If something happens to me, you might end up never being revived again." Naruto continued to threaten.


    "Even though Kyubi will not perish, that Kyubi is no longer you, Kurama."


    Hearing this, Kurama nced warily at Naruto, but said nothing. Instead, he took a swig from the bottle.


    As the summer breeze swept through the window, Kurama passed out on the couch, his long, narrow eyes half-closed, and no one knew what he was thinking. He chuckled to himself, the picture of a fallen fox.


    Naruto tossed the ice cream wrapper into the nearby trash can and leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes as well. The scene of Itachi knocking at the door and Ino in a maid outfit shed through his mind.


    asionally, fragmented memories of the original Naruto flickered before his eyes, but none lingered long enough for him to grasp. He was left with only a lingering sense of bitterness.


    It may be that the original Naruto had a hard life in the first half of his life and left early.


    Some find love under the moonlight, some are newlyweds, while others suffer trials in this world. Naruto didn¡¯t know what mistakes a child like the original Naruto could have made to deserve such pain. All he knew was how he needed to live from now on.

 Chapter 139 External Transfer, Team 3

    Chapter 139 External Transfer, Team 3


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    After lying around doing nothing for two days, Naruto asked Tsunade for a simple C-Rank mission. Leaving Kurama at home, he headed out of the vige alone.


    "So you finally remembered me?"


    Tayuya sat on the rooftop of the inn, having changed all of her previous attire from Otogakure. Now, her red hair flowed down her back, her skin was fair, and she wore a floral dress.


    She looked like a girl-next-door, stretching her pale legs on the roof to bask under the sun.


    "Ah, after all, I''m your only creditor. How could I possibly forget you?" Naruto did not have any intention of hiding it, "I just happened to have some free time, so I found an excuse toe out."


    "You really are shameless!"


    Tayuya, a little annoyed, stood up from the roof and approached Naruto. She had nned to use her height to overwhelm him, but to her surprise, the blond guy in front of her had grown taller.


    After just a few months, he had already surpassed her in height. The red-haired girl, feeling a bit unsatisfied, pushed him.


    Naruto didn''t get angry though, instead, he smiled smugly and asked, "Do you need more money?"


    "You!!" Tayuya grabbed Naruto by the cor, "You tricked me intoing here. I''ve been thinking about it over and over again for the past few months and finally figured it out. Things are not what you said."


    "But you¡¯ve already sold your soul to me."


    "Who cares about that kind of thing!" Tayuya retorted shamelessly, " There¡¯s nothing to prove it anyway, and for just a mere hundred thousand ryo. You''re basically scamming me!"


    "Anyway, I¡¯ve changed my mind now."


    Hearing this, Naruto found it somewhat amusing, "You could have left at any time. So why are you still waiting for me here?"


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not someone who keeps promises. I¡¯m just a little pissed off." Tayuya frowned and said, "If I just left quietly like this, people like you would probably just think that your pet ran away, and you wouldn¡¯t feel any regret at all."


    "I waited until now to tell you face-to-face because I want you to feel the deep regret of losing something!"


    The autumn wind swept across the rooftop.


    Naruto blinked and said, "Although I really want to regret it and make you a bit happier, there is absolutely no way I can do it."


    "Even if you run away, I''ll only lose 200,000 ryo."


    "Damn it, 200,000 ryo is already a lot!" Tayuya was a bit exasperated, leaning closer to Naruto and gritting her teeth, "How can you not feel bad about that?"


    Naruto didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he took out another 200,000 ryo, and ced the neat pile of money directly in front of Tayuya.


    "Here¡¯s another two hundred thousand. Maybe if you spend all this, I might start to feel some pain."


    "Money???" Tayuya gulped. The visual impact of two hundred thousand ryo was too overwhelming for her, "Do you think I will be tempted by this?"


    "Dream on!"


    "If you don¡¯t need it, I¡¯ll just throw it away." The blond troublemaker said this and then pretended to toss the money off the roof.


    "You''re crazyTayuya stopped him. She knew that this guy was definitely capable of doing something like that, "Who said I didn¡¯t want it? What I meant is¡­"


    Inside the room, Tayuya stared at the pile of money with a headache.


    ¡®That guy had gone out to buy food,pletely confident like he¡¯d won!¡¯


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯


    ¡®How can I make him regret it¡­ Like, wanting to bang his head against a wall kind of regret!¡¯


    Tayuya stared at the pile of money, sinking into deep thought. At first, she just wanted to wait for Naruto toe see her again and then make it clear she was determined to leave.


    The situation wasn¡¯t supposed to turn out like this. Originally, Tayuya had envisioned Naruto pleading desperately for her to stay, while she would mock him, then leave gracefully. From then on, she¡¯d be free to go wherever she wanted.


    But now, things seemed to have gotten moreplicated.


    ¡®Damn it, just how much money does he have?¡¯


    ¡®No matter how much money he has, I¡¯m going to confront him! Of course, I¡¯m definitely taking this two hundred thousand ryo with me. After all, it¡¯s mine now.¡¯


    The door creaked open as Naruto walked in, carrying food. Tanzaku Town was unusually bustling, with food stalls and shops everywhere downstairs.


    As soon as Naruto entered, Tayuya had nned to make her intentions clear, but before she could, Naruto spoke first, casually saying, "Have some food. Afterward, I¡¯ll help you find a ce to stay. Living here isn¡¯t a long-term solution."


    Seeing Tayuya in a daze, Naruto looked at her in confusion, "What''s wrong?"


    The speech she had prepared got stuck in her throat again at this moment. Tayuya hesitated for a long time, and in the end, her face turned red, but she couldn¡¯t say anything coherent.


    "¡­ Nothing."


    This time, Naruto had specifically taken on a C-rank mission within the Land of Fire, collecting rare medicinal herbs. The quest had long deadline, enough for him to go back and forth to Tanzaku Town.


    Midway through eating, Naruto suddenly looked up and asked, "Can I have some of what¡¯s in your bowl?"


    They were both eating the same food, with no difference between their dishes. Tayuya frowned and then pushed her bowl over to him, "What''s the difference?"


    "There doesn¡¯t seem to be any difference. Never mind."


    "You¡¯re so weird." Tayuya muttered coldly, pulling her bowl back. She ate a few more bites before stopping and asking, "Am I supposed to stay here forever?"


    "Not at all. You can go wherever you want. I just thought you needed a ce to settle down." Naruto paused and then added, "I also need a ce to stay. It''s nice to stay in the vige, but I asionally also want to get out and take a breath of fresh air."


    "Oh, I thought it was all mine." Tayuya said, poking the char siu in her bowl with her chopsticks, "So it turns out I have to share it with someone like you."


    "That''s not necessary. If you want a house to yourself, I can just buy another one next door."


    "That¡¯s such a waste!" Tayuya suddenly said angrily.


    "What¡¯s the big deal?"


    " Of course, it¡¯s a big deal! Even though... even though it¡¯s not my money, ever since I found out what a hundred thousand ryo can buy, I can¡¯t stand people like you who spend money sovishly!"


    "Alright, then I¡¯ll get just one." Naruto agreed smoothly. Then he added, "I have a few nice dresses¡­"


    By nightfall, they finally bought the house, which was a small two-story house.


    Once everything was settled, Naruto realized that half of the time for the mission had passed. Without a proper goodbye, he left in a hurry, saying he¡¯d be back in a while.


    Then, he hurried out the door and disappeared into the pitch-ck night without a trace.


    Naruto spent three days in the mountains before finally finding the herbs. After reporting back to the vige, he was immediately summoned by Tsunade.


    "An external assignment with Team 3?" Naruto squinted as he sat in the rocking chair in front of the Hokage¡¯s desk. Pouring himself a cup of tea, he looked at Tsunade, who was standing by the window, andined, "I''vepletely be a temporary worker now!"


    "Comining about your missions? Do you want to get beaten up?" Tsunade, who was already on the verge of exploding from the stress of work, turned around and red at Naruto fiercely.


    "If you say one more word, I''ll throw you out of here!"

 Chapter 140 Land of River’s Mission Line

    Chapter 140 Land of River¡¯s Mission Line


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    "Then, I want to be the team leader." Naruto demanded.


    "No!" Tsunade refused without hesitation, "The members of Team 3 are all honest people. If I let you be the team leader, you''d have them wrapped around your finger in no time."


    "If things go wrong, the reputation of the entire Konoha will be ruined by you alone."


    "It''s not that exaggerated, right?" Naruto scratched his face, "I''m also an honest person."


    "Huh?" Tsunade''s eyes narrowed as she quickly walked over, grabbing Naruto by the cor. Herrge chest pressed against him, almost making it hard for him to breathe, "You''d better not trick them into doing anything weird."


    "If I find out, you''re dead!"


    "I won''t, I won''t!" Narutoughed awkwardly.


    Tsunade let go of him, still looking displeased as she poked his forehead and said, "Jiraiya offered to take you for training, but you refused to go. If you don''t take on more missions, how are you going to improve your strength? I went out of my way to pick a mission for you, and now you''re being picky."


    "Next time I hear you say something like that again, you''re going to be doing office work as a punishment!"


    "Got it."


    Seeing that Naruto had finally behaved himself, Tsunade tossed him back into the Hokage chair and poured herself a cup of water.


    "This mission is a little special." Her red lips parted as she said bluntly, "A mining vige in the Land of Rivers has been upied by a group calling themselves the Kurosuki Family."


    "It''s highly likely that the person in charge of Kurosuki Family is Kurosuki Raiga, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."


    "Is that guy strong?" Naruto couldn''t really remember who the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were. His impression was that the previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been turned into aughingstock by Might Duy.


    The only one he vaguely remembered was Biwa Juzo, Itachi''s former teammate, who was an Elite Jonin of Kirigakure, but was kicked into a nobody in the Shinobi World by Might Duy.


    Whenever he meets a Shinobi from Konoha, he will ask if they know a Genin named Might Duy.


    "Strong? Not really." Tsunade thought for a moment before tapping her head and said, "But that group of Seven Ninja Swordsmen escaped from the Blood Mist Period, so they''re generally not quite right in the head."


    "Originally, I was going to let Guy lead the team, but he was specifically asked by the Daimyo of another country to take on a protection mission, so I had no choice but to send you."


    Upon hearing this, Naruto''s face turned dark and he crossed his legs while sitting on the Hokage''s chair.


    "What do you mean you had no choice but to send me there? Being a temporary worker is already tiring enough. If I''m going to work like a horse, there should be some real benefits, right?"


    "Hmm?" Tsunade''s eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    "No, I mean... paid leave."


    "What do you think of me? Although I am the Hokage, I can still clearly distinguish between public and private affairs." Tsunade dragged Naruto to the door and tossed him out directly, "If you can''tplete this mission, you might as well stop doing missions altogether ande work in the office."


    As soon as she finished speaking, the office door mmed shut with a bang.


    ¡®Distinguish between public and private affairs?¡¯ Naruto felt a bit speechless, ¡®That was not what she said some time ago. Women are really fickle.¡¯


    After shaking his head, he stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and left.


    There were still two hours before departure, and he was nning to go home and pack his things, but the client urged them to hurry up, so before he even left the Hokage Tower, Lee called him from behind.


    "Naruto, wait up."


    "We have to leave now." Lee, dressed in his signature green bodysuit, said.


    Hearing this, Naruto looked back.


    Lee stood under the sunlight with expression serious, as if something monumental had urred.


    In the irregr shadows cast by the Hokage Tower, two figures emerged, one on each side, slowly walking out. They were Neji and Tenten, both of whom Naruto had met before.


    Both looked unusually stern, a seriousness that Naruto could tell wasn''t directed at him but rather at the mission itself.


    In other words, the preparation time for the mission had been canceled.


    "What do you mean by leaving now?" Naruto asked with a smile, "Don''t we still have two hours to prepare?"


    "Sorry, but Rokusuke is too worried about Kanpachi in the vige." A burly, rough-looking man stepped out of the Hokage Tower. He was dressed like a viger, with a bushy beard covering his face.


    His face was wrapped in bandages, as if he''d been hit by a blunt object like a shovel.


    Behind him, two more men, also dressed as vigers, emerged. They were both skinny, looking to be in their thirties, with thick calluses on their hands from hardbor.


    One was dressed in a deep blue outfit, with thin lips and an expression that screamed he wasn''t easy to fool. The other was a man with squinted eyes, who appeared to be a mild-mannered and straightforward person.


    After a quick nce,bined with the information Lee just said, and the bearded man said that Rokusuke was worried about Kanpachi. He guessed that Rokusuke should be the one with thin lips, and Kanpachi was probably a viger who was in danger.


    Naruto couldn''t recall every detail, but he vaguely remembered that Team 3 had once taken on a mission to eliminate Kurosuki Raiga. The entire process had been somewhat frustrating to watch.


    As for the source of the frustration¡­ Naruto looked at the three vigers who had requested the mission, his brows furrowing instinctively.


    ¡®So this was the special aspect of the mission that Tsunade had hinted at.¡¯


    "Let me exin." Neji stepped forward, his voice devoid of any emotion, "Their vige is currently being oppressed. Anyone who offends the Kurosuki Family will be nailed into a coffin and buried alive."


    "These three risked their lives to escape and seek help, hoping Konoha can help eliminate the Kurosuki Family and free them from living in constant fear of death."


    "Theirpanion, Kanpachi, was buried alive. We might need to leave immediately."


    "Exactly!" Lee agreed energetically.


    Tenten also seemed to have no objections. The three of them looked at Naruto, as if waiting for him to say something like ¡®Let''s set off now!¡¯


    But¡­


    "I disagree."


    Naruto''s response caught everyone off guard, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. Most of the resentment and dissatisfaction came from the thin-lipped viger, Rokusuke, while Lee, Neji, and Tenten were more surprised than anything else.


    "Why?" Neji asked, not in an usatory tone but out of genuine curiosity.


    "I don''t have anything ready for the trip," Naruto exined, " Besides, Lee obviously had just finished training. If he doesn''t rest, he won''t be able to keep up the pace for long."


    Lee scratched his head, "I can hold on."


    Neji didn''t argue, instead, he took a few seconds to think it over seriously, then nodded, "Then, we¡¯ll set off at the scheduled time. No need to rush."


    Tenten gave a faint smile, indicating she was fine with whatever decision was made.


    But the thin-lipped viger, Rokuro, who had been silent until now, suddenly became agitated, and shouted loudly, "Are you kidding me?"


    "Mypanion is still buried alive and his fate is unknown. You cold-blooded Shinobi have no heart at all!"

 Chapter 141 Are You the Villain!!

    Chapter 141 Are You the Viin!!


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    Seeing the viger, Rokusuke hysterically using the four of them, crying andining as if it wasn''t Raiga who was oppressing and burying them alive at this moment, but rather Naruto and Team Three, Naruto couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    "Just get moving as soon as you receive the mission! What are you waiting for? Aren''t you Shinobi?" Rokusuke shouted like a madman, and even the bearded man struggled to hold him back.


    "Two hours? Are you joking?! Are you mocking us on purpose, you bastards?!"


    The situation was spiraling out of control, and the client was clearly enraged.


    Perhaps they had never encountered such a difficult client before, and since the client was acting out of concern for hispanion, there was little they could criticize. Lee stiffened and quickly began to apologize profusely, bowing repeatedly.


    "I''m sorry!!"


    "Uh... let''s all just calm down." Tenten said awkwardly, cing her hands in front of her chest as she tried to soothe the client, "The departure time is set ording to the standard procedure. You should have been informed of this when you made the request."


    "What''s the point of saying all that? You Shinobi could never understand my pain! Kanpachi is still buried underground. He must be in so much pain, I need to go back and save him!"


    Seeing the thin-lipped viger Rokusuke crying so sadly, Tenten was at a loss. As for Neji, he was frowning, clearly troubled by the unfolding situation.


    Suddenly, Rokusuke stopped crying, wiped his tears fiercely, and said resolutely, "If you don''t leave now, then I''ll..."


    "Changing themission, right?" Naruto, who had been watching the scene with his hands in his pockets, interrupted, asking the question bluntly.


    Rokusuke was obviously stunned for a moment, but seemed to quickly remember that he was the client, and immediately shouted with a red face, "Yes, so what?"


    " With all due respect, you don''t seem to care about yourpanion Kanpachi''s life or death at all." Naruto said, staring at Rokusuke. He paused, seemingly waiting for Rokusuke to argue back.


    "What did you say?! Kanpachi is my brother! If I don''t care, do you cold-hearted Shinobi care?"


    "Kanpachi already died a long time ago. He has been dead ever since you left him behind to seek help." Naruto continued, his tone steady as ever, "He was nailed into a coffin and buried for so long that his body must already be rotting."


    "You''re talking nonsense! Kanpachi is clearly still alive!" Rokusuke suddenly became agitated, and the two vigers beside him quickly restrained him.


    "Naruto¡­" Tenten tried to signal Naruto to stop, thinking it impolite to provoke the client further.


    "He might still be alive... in your heart." Naruto stopped pretending, his face darkened, then he pointed at Rokusuke and said, "Kanpachi was already dead the moment you ran away to seek help. You should me yourself if you want to."


    "No! If we don''t escape and ask for help, everyone in the vige will die!" Rokusuke said in despair.


    Hearing this, Naruto was speechless and finally replied, "You clearly know this truth, yet you''re taking it out on us. You''re nothing but a beast!"


    "Cough cough!" Tenten coughed, reminding Naruto to pay attention to the qualities of a Shinobi.


    Tenten was actually a little angry when she saw Lee, who was straightforward and innocent, getting scolded for no reason, that¡¯s why she spoke up for Lee. After all, they did follow the normal procedures and hadn''t intentionally dyed anything.


    If Lee''s reaction was to apologize, Tenten''s approach was to reason with the client, and Neji''s attitude was to ignore the viger entirely.


    Naruto, on the other hand, was like stabbing a dagger to the heart, cutting through everything with his words. Even Tenten, who was just an observer, felt that Naruto''s words were sharp and a bit terrifying.


    It might have been satisfying, but it seemed like the person on the other side was on the verge of breaking down. Some people, with just a small push, could drive even the most polite to their limits.


    "You... you''re Shinobi, aren''t you?" Rokusuke said tremblingly.


    "So you know we are Shinobi. If you want to make wishes, go to a shrine. We can''t bring the dead back to life." Naruto restrained himself and spoke more politely,


    "We have our reasons for preparing. I hope you can understand that."


    "But if you''re here making a scene and threatening to change themission, then I don''t understand. Are you worried that your brother Kanpachi didn''t die thoroughly enough?"


    "Team 3 is currently the best Shinobi team in Konoha. If you switch themission, it''ll take at least three hours to coordinate another team. What''s your goal?"


    After years of honing his skills on forums, Naruto had developed a habit of starting with apliment, safeguarding himself with a metaphorical ¡®dog head¡¯ before getting to the point.


    "All this fuss you''re making is only dying our preparation time."


    "I... I didn''t know about any of this." Rokusuke stammered, trying to hold his ground, "I just want to save someone¡­ Nobody told us these things."


    "It''s okay if you didn''t know. I''m exining it to you nicely right now." Naruto replied, "If you still don''t understand, I can exin it even more clearly."


    "I can skip my preparations, and you''ll have plenty of time. The only one who doesn''t have a bright future is your good brother Kanpachi, who is buried underground."


    Rokusuke stood there, trembling all over, his lips quivering as he struggled to find words.


    Tenten was dumbfounded. She didn''t fully grasp the concept of sarcasm, but she had a feeling that they had somehow already won this argument.


    Lee, on the other hand, was confused, his mind spinning in circles as he tried to figure out who was making more sense. Naruto didn''t seem to be saying anythingpletely unreasonable, but it still felt like he was crossing a line.


    Neji turned his head away, no longer interested in the spectacle.


    Tsunade stood by the window on Hokage¡¯s Office, watching the scene with her hands crossed, a slight smile ying on her lips as if recalling something amusing.


    ¡®That guy was at it again with his sharp tongue. Someone was bound to get hurt again.¡¯


    The summer that people had grown fond of was nearly over, and autumn was creeping in.


    The autumn breeze drifted in through the window, gently lifting a strand of Tsunade¡¯s hair.


    In the lounge on the other side.


    In the rest area nearby, Lee was catching up on sleep, Neji was checking his Ninja Tools, and Naruto was downing some water.


    "Naruto, do you think you were too harsh earlier?" Tenten asked with a worried look on her face.


    "Not at all, that was just the beginning." Naruto replied, ncing at Neji before lowering his voice, "If that guy is reasonable, it''ll be fine. But I''m afraid that he will be a trouble when we are on the mission."


    "It shouldn''t be, right?" Tenten thought back to Rokusuke''s behavior just now and suddenly became unsure.


    "How does the saying go? ¡®We fear not God-like rivals, but pig-like team members¡¯?"


    "If that person likes to court death, not even a god could save him."


    After the words were spoken, silence fell over the room.


    The client this time is really not an easy person to deal with. If he causes some trouble or does something stupid along the way, he might really put them in a tough spot.


    "What should we do then?" Tenten asked.


    Naruto didn''t answer right away. Instead, he nced at Neji, who shook his head and said, "We''ll just have to take it one step at a time."


    After hearing Neji''s less-than-helpful response, Naruto proposed a bold idea, "When we get close to the vige, what if we just tie up those three and leave them in a safe ce?"


    Neji: ¡°???¡±


    Tenten:"???"


    Hearing what Naruto said, a thought shed through their minds silently, ¡®Is this guy a viin?¡¯

 Chapter 142 Your Village Sure Has a Lot of Traitors, Doesn’t It?

    Chapter 142 Your Vige Sure Has a Lot of Traitors, Doesn¡¯t It?


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    "Isn''t that a bit too much?" Tenten asked hesitantly.


    "What''s wrong with it?" Naruto immediately retorted, "Obviously,pleting the mission safely is the most important thing. We''re Shinobi, but that doesn''t mean we should let the client have their way recklessly."


    "Money can be earned again, but you only have one life. It''s obviously not worth it to gamble yourpanions'' life with this kind of brotherplex of unknown origin!"


    Neji was silent, staring out the window for a long time.


    Tenten also fell silent, fiddling with her fingers as she struggled with the decision.


    "Tie him up!" Neji gritted his teeth and said.


    "Yes! We must tie him up!" Tenten agreed resolutely, "This time, our opponent might be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. We can''t take any chances."


    "I''ll tie up that Rokusuke. Anyway, I''m not part of Team 3. You guys don''t have the heart to do it, but I can." Naruto said with a smile on his face.


    "I''ll make him an offer he can''t refuse. We won''t get anyints."


    Almost instinctively, Tenten shuddered. She couldn''t shake the feeling that this mission wasn''t going to go smoothly. Especially with Naruto joining them, as it seemed even more dangerous now.


    An hour and a halfter¡­


    Team 3, along with three vigers and a blond temporary worker, set off on their journey to the Land of Rivers. The mission was urgent, leaving them no time to prepare.


    Kurama was left at home to watch over the house. With enough food in the fridge, Naruto wasn¡¯t worried about Kurama starving. Even if he went out to find food, he¡¯d still manage to eat well.


    The Land of Rivers was known for its frequent rainfall, mainly due to its elevation and terrain. Unlike the Land of Fire, where rainfall was evenly distributed throughout the year, the Land of Rivers experienced heavy rainfall mostly in the summer and early autumn.


    As they crossed the border into the Land of Fire, a sudden downpour forced the group to take shelter in an abandoned cave.


    The three vigers leading the way felt increasingly uneasy, but every time they looked up, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.


    However, the closer they got to the Land of Rivers, the stronger this sense of unease became.


    Tenten was a little nervous. It was the first time in her life that she would have to act against a client, although it was for the sake of the mission, ¡®Sessfullypleting the mission would be the best interest of the three vigers as well.¡¯


    ¡®But¡­¡¯


    Inparison, Naruto remained much moreposed.


    He observed that Rokusuke had been unusually silent throughout the journey. He basically didn''t speak and maintained a serious expression. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.


    Generally speaking, troublemakers were the ones who had no skills but a lot of ideas.


    Five dayster.


    "We''re almost there!" The bearded viger pointed to a tall mountain hidden among the trees, "That! That''s the Katabami Gold Mine!"


    The bare mountain towered into the sky, resembling a massive, irregr stone monument, but within ity the shimmering gold veins.


    While the three vigers were gazing at the mine in their homnd, Naruto was already gritting his teeth with jealousy. He suddenly understood why Raiga enved this vige.


    "I remember now!" Lee suddenly perked up and pointed in another direction, saying, "Granny Sansho¡¯s curry shop is in front!"


    ¡®Curry? Now that he mentions it, I feel hungry.¡¯


    He looked back and saw that everyone except Rokusuke was looking at Lee. Even the other two vigers, who were anxious about returning home, had their stomachs grumbling.


    The look in his eyes was almost self-exnatory, as if saying: Now that things havee to this, let¡¯s eat first!


    Rokusuke noticed the expressions of his fellow vigers, and his face grew even darker. He walked to the side of the road without saying a word, and squatted down to rest.


    Naruto''s eyes never left Rokusuke, and when he heard Lee say that there was a familiar curry shop up ahead, he instinctively sensed that the opportunity to take action hade.


    He turned to look at Tenten and Neji, and the three of them exchanged knowing nces, reaching a consensus in an instant.


    If they didn¡¯t control this potential traitor now, then what is the point of the mission? They might as well clean their necks and prepare for the worst. After all, nipping the threat in the bud as soon as possible is what normal people do.


    The Granny Sansho¡¯s curry shop looked a bit old and worn. It was a two-story brick building with a simple design. There wasn¡¯t even a sign hanging out front, just an elderly woman sweeping the entrance with a broom and water basin.


    "Granny Sansho!" Lee, unaware of his teammates¡¯ n, excitedly ran up to the old woman and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around several times.


    "Here! Here! This is Granny Sansho!" Lee enthusiastically introduced the Sansho to hispanions and strongly rmended the shop¡¯s signature spicy curry.


    "Neji! Tenten, Naruto! It¡¯s really good!"


    "If you don¡¯t believe me, just try it!"


    "The curry made by Granny Sansho is the best curry in the world!"


    The three of them sat in the dining area, and Neji, unable to resist Lee¡¯s enthusiasm, ordered a serving of the signature curry. Tenten was still hesitant, but Naruto suddenly raised his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have a regr curry, please!¡±


    Hearing this, Lee burst into tears instantly, "Naruto, you don''t believe me?"


    "It''s not that I don''t believe you, I just don''t like heavy vors." Naruto said, rubbing his chin. He pointed to the three vigers at another table and added, "Give them each a serving of the signature curry. I think they might need it more."


    About ten minutester, aside from Tenten, Naruto, and Lee, everyone else was predictably coughing up fire from the spiciness.


    Lee, ever the iron-stomached and iron-assed warrior, didn¡¯t mind the spiciness at all and continued to eat with great enjoyment.


    Halfway through the meal, Rokusuke suddenly said that he needed to step outside for some air.


    Lee was still busy devouring his food,pletely oblivious to the fact that Naruto, Tenten, and Neji had all stopped eating simultaneously.


    Without the slightest hesitation, the three of them worked together perfectly. Within half a minute, the three vigers were tied up like dumplings and thrown to the ground. Naruto, who had somehow procured an old rag, used it to gag Rokuro.


    ¡°Mm! Mm!!!¡± Rokusuke reacted violently and struggled continuously.


    In contrast, his two fellow vigers, who had been equally tied up, were left in a state of confusion, repeatedly asking what was happening.


    "It''s nothing, we just need your cooperation. I want you guys to stay here for a day so you don¡¯t interfere with our mission." Neji haspletely epted Naruto''s theory and quickly put it into practice.


    "We want toplete the mission, and you want to save your vige. We share the same goal." Neji paused and said to the two vigers who weren¡¯t gagged.


    "Please tell us everything you know and give us detailed information about the vige. I will keep this a secret for you after we drive the Kurosuki Family out of your vige."


    The two vigers, bound tightly, exchanged nces and seemed to realize they didn¡¯t have a better option.


    Rokuro, still gagged, continued to whimper as if he wanted to say something.


    Naruto, not in the mood for nonsense, kicked him rudely and said disdainfully, "What¡¯s with all the mumbling? Are you trying to be Thomas the Train?"


    "When you had the chance to speak, you stayed silent. And now you want to talk?"


    "Naruto, let him speak."


    Hearing this, Naruto nodded and reluctantly took the rag out of Rokusuke''s mouth.


    "Cough, cough, cough!" Rokusuke coughed violently a few times and quickly said, "The thugs of the Kurosuki Family are all from the vige. They are holding a funeral right now. I can hear the funeral bells!"


    Naruto clicked his tongue in annoyance and said, "Your vige sure has a lot of traitors, doesn¡¯t it?"

 Chapter 143 Taskline Lost, New Taskline Activated

    Chapter 143 Taskline Lost, New Taskline Activated


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    Rokusuke spoke quickly and urgently, almost as if he was condensing all his information into a single sentence.


    "W-What''s going on?" Lee, who had been sitting cross-legged while eating, was the most confused, his tongue tripping over his words.


    Just moments ago, they were eating and singing, and when Lee looked up, he saw that his three teammates had tied up the clients. If he didn¡¯t know them so well, Lee might have thought that they were preparing to defect from the vige.


    "It''s nothing. The clients weren¡¯t being honest, so we tied them up for their own safety." Naruto exined briefly and stuffed the rag back into Rokusuke''s mouth.


    The mountain road of Katabami Gold Mine is shrouded in clouds and fog.


    The four of them tied up the three clients and left them in Sansho''s curry shop. After getting enough information from them, the four decided to go to move forward and check the situation.


    "That¡­ funeral, does it mean they¡¯re burying people alive for defying the Kurosuki Family?" Tenten suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.


    "Yeah." Neji¡¯s expression was also grim.


    "That''s too cruel. Why would they do something like that?" Tenten looked distressed.


    "Exactly!" Lee agreed, turning his head as they hurried along, "Let''s rescue all those vigers when we get there!"


    "We just need to drive Kurosuki Raiga away, there''s no need to do anything unnecessary." Naruto reminded them.


    Fortunately, although Team 3 isposed of honest people who are not good at dealing with troublesome clients, they are not rookies and didn¡¯t underestimate their enemies.


    No one said anything about how the vigers were also pitiable. Naruto mentioned it, and the others agreed.


    "This vige isn¡¯t like other ces. They live off the gold mine, so it¡¯s bound to be chaotic." Naruto exined, "We are just Shinobi. In other people''s countries, all we can do isplete the mission."


    A light rain began to fall from the overcast sky.


    Naruto stood on a high ledge, with the exposed cliffside beneath his feet, squinting at the group of ck-robed figures carrying a white coffin as they slowly walked in the rain.


    The entire scene was a gray blur. The mountain was nothing but endless rocks, not a single tree or de of grass in sight.


    In the distance, there were faint sounds of funeral bells and faint wailing.


    "If the information from the three clients is urate, the one mourning should be Kurosuki Raiga." Neji said, standing beside Naruto, "Guy-sensei also said that he met Kurosuki Raiga when he was still a Genin."


    "No wonder Kurosuki Raiga likes to bury people so much, it turns out he is an old madman."


    Suddenly, a mechanical synthesized voice echoed in Naruto¡¯s mind. Unlike the usual dull notification chime, this time the voice was a rapid rm.


    [Ding! Warning! Warning!]


    [Hinata¡¯s affection, Kyubi''s approval is 73%, the host releases Kyubi. Incorrect operation, the task line is lost, and it will be permanently sealed!]


    In the pop-up panel, the green task progress bar at the top suddenly soared from forty-something to seventy-three and then stopped. Then the task progress bar turned into a gray locked state.


    The task line was then removed from the top and sank to the very bottom.


    Naruto stood in the rain, stunned for a moment, ¡®It turned out that the previousgs were all foreshadowed. Because I removed Kurama in advance, my actions were inconsistent with the task line, so now, the task was directly locked.¡¯


    The benefits of releasing Kurama couldn¡¯t be measured in terms of profit. Although Naruto himself cannot exin the specific reason, he just instinctively feels that it is better to nurture Kurama as early as possible.


    But now, 73% is still eptable, not too much of a loss, so he has nothing to regret.


    "What''s wrong?" Tenten asked when she saw Naruto standing there in a daze for a long time.


    "It¡¯s nothing."


    Naruto replied, shaking off his daze. He then pointed toward the area filled with mining tunnels and suggested a bold idea, "How about we make a little profit?"


    "No!" Neji rejected the idea without hesitation.


    "Naruto, you..." Tenten sighed in exasperation, unsure of what to say, "Why do you always have such weird thoughts in your head?"


    "Profit? What profit?" Lee asked in confusion.


    Naruto pouted and pointed at Neji, "You, a member of the Hyuga n, don¡¯t really need more money."


    He then pointed at Tenten and said, "And you, rich loli, don''tck money either."


    "As for Lee, he doesn¡¯t need money."


    "But I¡¯m different. I have nothing to my name. Sess is my only option."


    "Stop saying silly things. No means no." Neji ignored Naruto and walked to the edge of the cliff, looking at the funeral procession from afar, "We can try to get closer first."


    Lee agreed, Tenten had no objections, and Naruto didn¡¯t care either.


    If he couldn¡¯t profit, then they might as well finish off Raiga quickly. Although the mission says to drive him away, it actually means seriously injuring or eliminating him.


    After all, they were in the Land of Rivers, so the mission details had to be written more subtly to save face for the Land of Rivers.


    Four against one, the advantage is on their side.


    The funeral was being held on a hillside. The living were nailed shut in coffins as six ck-robed figures silently walked in the rain. The path was muddy, slowing the procession¡¯s progress.


    About ten minutester, Naruto and the team reached the back of the hillside. The cries grew more harrowing, making people¡¯s skin crawl.


    "This Kurosuki Raiga buries those who offend him alive, then mourns them himself. In such mental state, he should not have much fighting power." Naruto analyzed in a low voice.


    "Let''s attack together and finish him off!"


    The dull, monotonous crying suddenly stopped, and before Neji could say anything, his body tensed.


    "Why is it getting foggy?" Tenten asked nervously.


    "We''ve been discovered! Be careful." Neji warned, his voice turning serious. Lee silently moved to the side, readying himself forbat.


    The light rain was still falling, but the white fog was getting thicker.


    The gusts of wind passing through the exposed rocks were cold, reminding Naruto of a book he¡¯d read, How the Virgin Mary Was Made. (T/N: It¡¯s a title of Chinese Novel.)


    There should be a little girl with red eyes Kekkei Genkai on Raiga''s back. Her life story is pitiful, and her rtionship with Raiga is simr to that of Zabuza and Haku.


    Fortunately, what Naruto is best at is severing ties, not holding an umbre when it rains, and not using a knife to kill people.


    ¡®In these times, Virgin Mary had no ce.¡¯


    Just as Naruto was about to use Lava Release to start the battle, a flurry of mechanical chimes echoed madly in his mind.


    [Dear host, the Land of Water Arc: The Ninja Swords Collection Task Line has been activated! (Pinned)]


    [Achievement Unlocked: Executioner¡¯s de ¨C Kubikiribocho.]


    [Achievement not yet achieved: Lightning des ¨C Kiba, Shark Skin - Samehada, Twin des ¨C Hiramekarei, Needle Sword ¨C Nuibari, stsword ¨C Shibuki, Bluntsword ¨C Kabutowari. ]


    [Reward: Izanagi (Single-Use Item), awarded uponpleting all aplishments.]


    [Ding!]


    [Options]

 Chapter 144 The Hunt

    Chapter 144 The Hunt


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    [Option 1: Kill Kurosuki Raiga, Reward: Kurosuki Raiga''s Funeral (A rule-based Ninjutsu, summon the deceased members of Kurosuki Raiga''s funeral procession, and forcibly seal the opponent in a coffin for burial).]


    [Option 2: Redeem the bond between Kurosuki Raiga and Ranmaru. Reward: Lightning Release: Lightning Dragon Tornado.]


    For the first time, the system¡¯s panel seemed chaotic, with pop-up windows appearing erratically, making constant notification sounds. and Naruto was momentarily dumbfounded, but with the battle imminent, he quickly chose Option 1.


    He is not a saint, so how can he save others?


    The first option appeared to be a rule-based ninjutsu that summoned the deceased Kurosuki Raiga''s funeral procession. Whether it was powerful or not was secondary, but the system was undoubtedly skilled at being unsettling.


    ¡®Though there was no emperor to carry the coffin, having Kurosuki Raiga handle it was still decent. It is a bit simr to Ibiki''s ¡®Lucky Cat Ninjutsu¡¯ to some extent, so the effect was likely a forced burial.¡¯


    ¡®The system''s extended description indicated that it was a rule-based Ninjutsu. Does that mean that even if Madaraes, he can be dragged into the coffin and buried? If that were the case, whether Madara could break out of the coffin was irrelevant. The ability to drag him in was already valuable.¡¯


    There is absolutely no way to refuse, so Naruto choose Option 1.


    This time, the system settled the previous task line rted to Hinata, and simultaneously initiated the Seven Ninja Swords task line while triggering Raiga''s options.


    Naruto now possessed 73% of Kyubi''s power at its peak, and he also has a Kyubi at home. Now, he not only wants to seize the Thunder des, but also ns to kill Raiga.


    ¡°Byakugan!!¡±


    Neji activated his Byakugan instantly, his face stern as the veins around his eyes bulged. He quickly formed hand seals to help him focus more intensely.


    Lee clenched his fists, while Tenten had already pulled out shuriken from her ninja pouch, waiting for Neji to tell them the location with his Byakugan. This was Team 3''s usual strategy, reconnaissance followed by a surprise attack.


    Tenten stood not far from Naruto, anxiously waiting. Suddenly, she realized she couldn''t sense Naruto''s breathing and was immediately startled.


    She quickly turned her head, but I could still vaguely see Naruto''s face.


    ¡®What''s going on?¡¯


    ¡®Just now it felt like Naruto had suddenly disappeared from my sense, as if he had died.¡¯


    "I can''t see clearly at all!" Neji''s breathing grew heavier, "Give me some time, there''s something strange about this fog, it''s obscuring my Byakugan''s vision."


    Tenten, now holding a kunai, watched their surroundings warily. But when she nced at Naruto again, she noticed he was standingpletely still, like a statue.


    If she hadn''t known that Naruto was standing there, she would never have noticed that there was another person there.


    There was almost no sound of breathing, and his entire body didn''t even make the slightest movement. Tenten even began to wonder if Naruto¡¯s heart was still beating. She was also curious about what he was doing, ¡®Was he concealing his presence?¡¯


    ¡®On second thought, it seemed like a good strategy. If the opponent''s fog obscured Neji''s vision, the enemy might use the opportunity to attack, but maybe Naruto could use it as an opportunity to counterattack.¡¯


    Tenten also wanted to conceal her presence, but holding her breath was obviously not feasible.


    "Southeast 45 degrees 11, northwest 32 degrees 23, southwest 34 degrees 21." Neji reported the coordinates with precision. Upon hearing this, Team 3 moved like a pack of unleashed hounds, charging forward with unrestrained speed.


    Naruto didn¡¯t move, but Neji didn¡¯t notice.


    The moment Neji¡¯s kunai struck a tree trunk, he knew that the image he saw with his Byakugan was wrong.


    Sure enough, Lee¡¯s Konoha Whirlwind missed, and Tenten¡¯s shuriken ttered harmlessly against rocks.


    The missed strike meant their positions were exposed.


    The directions given, southeast, northwest and southwest, werepletely opposite, making it clear that the enemy intended to scatter them and pick them off one by one. Neji, too tense, hadn''t realized it was a trap.


    Neji leaped back, a wave of anxiety washing over him. His Byakugan had failed for the first time, leaving him momentarily at a loss, wondering if everything he saw was not real.


    Team 3 was originally a team that focused on Taijutsu. Neji was the eyes of the entire team. Only when he could see clearly could they deliver a critical hit urately.


    But now, his eyes were no longer working, and in the face of the still thick fog, Neji''s confidence wavered for the first time. Facing the silent white fog, his fear was infinitely magnified.


    But the current situation is that the position has been exposed, and all they could do was wait for the enemy to make the first move and then figure out a counter-strategy.


    These thoughts shed through Neji''s mind in an instant. As a genius, he was constrained by the title. His desire for answers was so strong that he didn''t consider the possibility that the enemy could interfere with his Byakugan.


    Naruto''s condition was very mysterious, his blood flowed slowly, his heartbeat had slowed, and his breathing was nearly non-existent. He was using Kyubi¡¯s chakra to forcibly conceal his presence,pletely hiding himself in the fog.


    And he seeded. Except Tenten, no one else remembered him in that crucial moment.


    His eyes seemed veiled by a thin mist, and he remained as calm as an emotionless machine. Even though his teammates'' positions were exposed and they were in danger, he remained unmoved.


    On a higher rock, Raiga, wearing a ck robe, looked up with a maniacal grin on his face.


    Behind him stood a row of simrly dressed ck-robed figures, slightly bowing with their heads lowered. A square, white coffiny quietly on the ground.


    "They''ve been lured over." A youthful voice devoid of emotion came from behind Raiga.


    "Well done, Ranmaru."


    Raiga licked his lips with satisfaction, "Now, I will be the one to bury them. However, I won''t cry for strangers! Hahahaha!!"


    He raised the Lightning des, Kiba, and bolts of lightning shot out in three directions.


    In the dense white fog, the lightning traveled incredibly fast, striking the three targets almost instantly.


    As the screams of Tenten, Lee, and Neji echoed through the air, Naruto moved. Through the thick fog, he locked onto Raiga''s exact position.


    His killing intent surged in an instant. He hadn¡¯t moved when Neji, Tenten, and Lee were exposed because he knew that Kurotsuchi Raiga had a child with the red eye Kekkei Genkai on his back, which could nullify the Byakugan.


    Naruto was betting, betting that his speed was unmatched. He just needed to abandon his eyesight and slowly spread the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra to find the enemy¡¯s position.


    But at the moment when the three people were struck by lightning, he finally found Raiga¡¯s weakness!


    So, he moved.


    His figure darted like a specter, with the white fog rushing into his sleeves and cor. His thin short sleeves billowed, pping loudly in the wind.


    His blond hair was tousled by the fierce wind, revealing his calm, emotionless blue eyes.


    "Oh no! Raiga!! There''s another one!"


    "Where?"


    But it was toote. With 73% of the Kyubi¡¯s power, Naruto instantly put on the blood-red Biju Cloak, moving at a speedparable to a high-speed missile. The airpressed by Kyubi¡¯s Chakra erupted with a deafening boom.

 Chapter 145 Naruto’s Holiday

    Chapter 145 Naruto¡¯s Holiday


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    After being struck by Raiga''s Lightning Ninjutsu, Tenten, in thest second before losing consciousness, saw a straight line cutting through the thick white mist as her eyes began to close.


    In his Biju Cloak, with full 73% of the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra released, the red Chakra bubbled up like boilingva, instantly driving away the dense fog with its intense heat.


    It was as if the world had be a distorted funhouse mirror, the white mist cascaded away like an avnche. In that moment, the heavens and earth turned into a hell of blood and fire, with sharp, clear explosions ringing out repeatedly.


    Almost in the blink of an eye, Naruto appeared in front of Raiga, like a cannonball that tore through the mist in an instant, holding nothing back.


    The immense impact forcepletely ttened the small rocky slope. Even so, Naruto still did not forget the traditional art of finishing off the opponent.


    With the mist now dispersed, Naruto, wearing ayer of the Biju Cloak but without undergoing any monstrous transformation, raised his fist and pressed it against the barely conscious Raiga and the terrified Ranmaru behind him.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The fist wrapped in the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra was like a giant hammer, causing the ground to cave in. Kurosuki Raiga and the red-eyed Ranmaru behind him were instantly obliterated, their bodies reduced to nothing by sheer force.


    All their sins and ughter were cleansed in that instant, no need for any persuasive talk. They joined the vigers they had buried alive, returning to the Pure Land.


    "Phew!"


    He let out a long breath, and the Biju Cloakpletely dissipated into nothingness, leaving behind a silence that enveloped the area.


    [Kurosuki Raiga¡¯s Funeral is sessfully dispatched.]


    "Naruto, how did you figure out the enemy''s position?"


    On the way back afterpleting the mission, Tenten, walking alongside Naruto and the others from Team 3, asked curiously.


    "I release my Chakra to sense outwards, hide your position, and then..." Naruto scratched his face, looking a bit embarrassed, "Honestly, it was a bit of a gamble."


    "Things were pretty urgent at that time, so I didn¡¯t have time to exin much to you."


    "As long as the mission ispleted, that¡¯s what matters." Neji, walking ahead of them, didn¡¯t turn around as he spoke, his face showing no particr expression, "Anyway, thank you, Naruto."


    ¡®Tsk, still a tsundere.¡¯


    Naruto doesn''t care too much, but he felt like he didn¡¯t earn much from this trip.


    ¡®Although I collected a Ninja Sword, Raiga is indeed a weakling inbat, an old veteran who can''t even hold a sword steadily. Even the reward given to me by the system is the Kurosuki Family carrying a coffin?¡¯


    ¡®This is truly outrageous.¡¯


    However, with the death of thest survivor of the three unlucky people who always lived under Might Duy''s feet, the original Seven Ninja Swordsmen were now officially wiped out.


    Lee¡¯s eyes shone with a foolish rity as he gazed at Naruto, his eyes practically sparkling.


    "How did you do that?"


    "How did I do what?"


    "That huge crater! It must have been some amazing Taijutsu, right? I checked it out and it definitely doesn''t look like a mark caused by Ninjutsu at all." Lee said excitedly.


    "It''s just Ninjutsu. What kind of Taijutsu do I know? I haven''t even started with the Eight Gates yet. I gave up after just one day of trainingst time."


    "Oh, okay."


    "Um¡­ Have we forgotten something?" Tenten suddenly stopped and asked.


    "No." Naruto turned back, casting a sidelong nce at Tenten.


    His gaze at that moment was strange, his blue pupils were an intense shade of blue, and the way he looked at her was casual yet carried an overwhelming sense of pressure.


    It was as if his words were undeniable, andbined with his somewhat humble expression, it made the whole situation feel oddly out of ce.


    Tenten felt all the hairs on her body stand on end as she swallowed nervously.


    Even though she had remembered the three clients they had tied up in the curry shop, she could only manage an awkward smile under Naruto''s intense gaze before quickly lowering her head.


    The moment she looked down, her smile vanished, and she couldn''t help but think to herself, ¡®This guy is a little scary.¡¯


    It took them another five days to return to Konoha from the Land of Rivers.


    Counting the time spent traveling back and forth, as well as executing the mission, it was already mid-October by the time the four of them reported back at the Hokage Tower.


    The hot weather was gradually fading, and there is an obvious temperature difference between morning and evening. If one were to walk around the living roompletely naked, it would feel quite chilly, as the autumn air was in full swing.


    After first cooperating with Team 8 toplete the mission of acquiring Bikochu, and then cooperating with Team 3 toplete the mission of driving out enemies from the Katabami Gold Mine in the Land of Rivers, Naruto finally earned some precious vacation time.


    Finally, with a break in hand, Naruto found that the rest of the Konoha 11 were busy with missions, including Team 3, which had received an urgent mission. He originally nned to go to Tanzaku Town, but Tsunade outright refused.


    With a pile of missions stacked up in the vige, she lectured him, saying that just because he was allowed a few days off didn''t mean he could go gallivanting around, h h h.


    As Tsunade spoke, her chest bounced so vigorously that Naruto had to look up at the ceiling just to hear her properly.


    "Why aren''t you looking at me?" Tsunade frowned.


    "My neck is sore. It''s like this since I woke up this morning."


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    That single sound was filled with insult, and Naruto left the Hokage''s Office with a dark expression, spending an entire day at home.


    That night, Kurama got drunk and started howling in the middle of the night. Naruto woke up in a daze and went to the kitchen to get some water, only for Kurama to force himself to open his eyes and insisted on performing a show of tearing Madara apart with his bare hands.


    Naruto ignored him, snapped his fingers, and forced Kurama to shut down.


    Kurama, who waspletely dominated, fell into a deep sleep, and when he woke up the next day, he had no memory of the previous night. Naruto raised an eyebrow, ready to mess with him.


    "You did a backflipst night."


    "Damn it! You scumbag! How dare you trick me into doing something like that?!"


    "You did it yourself, don''t me it on me!"


    "What? You want those two women to know that you spend all day trying to attract them with backflips?"


    "So you want them to know that you can really do a backflip?"


    "No way! I would never do something so stupid, something only a foolish dog would do! I definitely won''t help you get close to any human women!"


    "You¡¯re a dog now."


    "You bastard! I''m going to kill you!" Kurama pounced on Naruto.


    A man and a dog tangled together, eachnding punches and ws on the other. Naruto did not use the control ability from Jashin¡¯s Dog, and based on the principle of not destroying the house, they fought back and forth with punches and ws.


    Just as the fight was getting intense, the doorbell rang.


    The movements of the man and the dog stopped instantly. Naruto immediately rolled up from the floor, rolled to the inside of the door with body full of scratches, and with a swift movement, he directly pulled out the Kusanagi Sword.


    Kurama¡¯s eyes were swollen and he was baring his teeth at the door.


    The other party rang the doorbell for a long time but no one answered. Naruto''s sword was almost against the door handle when suddenly a sound of keys jingling came from outside the door.


    Naruto immediately realized something and instantly retracted the Kusanagi Sword back into the seal space.


    A key was inserted into the lock, and as the door opened, Ino stood in the doorway, staring in shock at Naruto, who was covered in scratches.

 Chapter 146 Applying Medicine

    Chapter 146 Applying Medicine


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    "Honestly, you''re already an adult, yet you''re still messing around with a pet."


    Ino sighed, her face filled with exasperation as she casually ced the keys on top of the shoe cab by the entrance. Holding the shoe cab with her hands, she lifted her leg to take off her shoes. The ck stockingspletely covered her ankles, and her straight calves showed no hint of excess flesh.


    The moment the girl bent down, her pleated skirt tightened around her straight legs. She was wearing a long-sleeved knitted sweater, her snow-white arms, reminiscent of peeled sleeves of garlic, hidden from view.


    "What are you looking at?"


    "Hmm? What?"


    Naruto suddenly came back to his senses and looked up to find Ino standing at the entrance with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, staring at him with an indescribable expression.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt the temperature around him drop a few degrees.


    "Ino, uh¡­"


    "Pervert."


    With a look of disdain, she stepped onto the floor, her ck-stockinged feetnding gracefully as she walked past Naruto, leaving a faint, intoxicating fragrance in her wake.


    "I was going to help you apply some medicine, but it seems unnecessary now. Do it yourself."


    In fact, there is no need to apply medicine. Kurama is just a mass of Chakra, not a real dog. He ate and drank every day, converting the energy from food directly into Chakra, with any excess waste being evaporated.


    Therefore, even if someone is scratched by Kurama, as long as the wound is not too deep, they don''t have to worry about infection or worsening of the injury.


    However, that was something Naruto would never tell Ino.


    "What brings you here?"


    "I have a mission from my mother to check on a certain foot fetishist." Ino sighed, carrying a food box into the kitchen. As she opened the fridge, she frowned.


    She then walked up to Naruto and questioned him with her hands on her hips, "Why do you have so much alcohol stored?"


    Naruto, who was still standing in the living room, was momentarily stunned, then kicked Kurama. Kurama wanted to pounce on him, but after looking at Ino, he walked away in shame and ran to the corner of the balcony to bask in the sun.


    "This..." Naruto struggled toe up with a good excuse.


    He couldn''t very well say it was Kurama who drank it. After all, who would believe that he had a fox dog that loved alcohol?


    Naruto stood in the living room, feeling a bit at a loss, still covered in reddish scratches that made his wounds look somewhat rough. Ino felt a slight pang of sympathy andined, "How could you drink so much?"


    "I didn''t drink."


    "Then who did? There''s only you and that fox dog in the house. Are you saying it drank it?"


    "It did." Naruto mumbled.


    Ino rolled her eyes at him, deciding not to waste more time on this topic. She pointed in the direction of the sofa and motioned Naruto to go over.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Apply the medicine." Ino said irritably.


    It seemed she hadpletely adjusted to Naruto''s difficult personality and nned to use a firm attitude to counter him, fully prepared for any strange behavior that might follow.


    "Can I touch your ck stockings?"


    "No, if you do that, I will kill you." Ino replied through gritted teeth.


    "What if I just look?" Naruto seemed to havepromised, but in fact, his true intentions were revealed.


    "Mmm." Ino secretly nced at Naruto''s face, showing a cute, struggling expression as if she was seriously considering his words, "Is that all you have in your mind?"


    "Actually, I do think about other things, but I''m afraid if I say them out loud, you''ll get embarrassed."


    Ino mouthed something in disgust, her eyes filled with a look that could only be described as looking at a trash, "Please keep those filthy thoughts to yourself and don''t expose them so easily!"


    "¡­ All right."


    "And what¡¯s with that tone?"


    "I just think that you dressed so cutely today, Ino, so it would be a shame if I couldn''t appreciate you." Naruto said as hey on the sofa with a lost look on his face.


    "Stop saying weird things¡­" Ino hastily turned her head away, starting to search the small cab in front of the sofa for the first aid kit.


    Naruto, with nothing to do, watched as Ino knelt in front of the cab, her back turned to him. Her ck stockings stretched slightly as she leaned forward, revealing a petite yet elegant figure, a ssic beauty''s back.


    Facing Ino who was obviously dressed up so carefully, Naruto felt it would be a waste if he didn''tpliment her.


    "That outfit suits you very well."


    "Huh?" Ino, still kneeling by the cab, turned her head slightly to look at Naruto, her face tinged with a slight blush.


    "Didn''t I tell you to stop saying weird things?"


    "I just think that since you''ve put so much effort into dressing up, it would be thoughtless of me not to praise you."


    "It''s not like I dressed up for you. I just wanted to practice my styling skills a bit." Ino said as she tucked her hair behind her ear and gave Naruto a quick re.


    "You''re so cute I can''t even describe it."


    "Hmph¡­" Ino turned away and ignored Naruto.


    After a while, she came over with the first aid kit, and first asked where the dog had gone to.


    "Eh? You''re actually more concerned about the dog than me?"


    "It''s clearly more popr than you!" Ino teased, looking down at Naruto, who was lying on the sofa with scratches all over his body, beforeughing at her own joke.


    Naruto couldn''t help but be a little moved by Ino''s smile, thinking how soft her lips might feel if he kissed her...


    Resisting the impulse in his heart, he pointed in the direction of the balcony and said, "It''s basking in the sun out there, but I think its wounds are already healed."


    Ino didn''t go to the balcony but instead squatted down in front of the sofa, puffing her cheeks slightly in annoyance as she looked at Naruto, then said unhappily, "Turn your face."


    "Thank you for your help." Naruto said.


    "Why are you being so polite all of a sudden?"


    "You aren¡¯t used to it?"


    "No, I wish you''d always be like this." Ino replied with a serious face as she took out the disinfectant.


    "I just can''t act serious around you, Ino. You''re too cute, like when you see something adorable on the street¡­"


    "Stop talking." Ino suddenly pressed Naruto''s head into the sofa in shame and anger, "If you say anything weird, I will kill you."


    "Okay, I won''t say anything."


    "But you''ll still be thinking about it, right?"


    "I really can''t hide it from you."


    "Hmph, I know exactly what kind of filthy things are going through that head of yours." Ino said smugly as she grabbed a cotton swab.


    "Have you ever thought about it too, Ino?"


    "I''ve never thought about that kind of thing!" Ino, a little angry, squatted down and poured some of the disinfectant, letting it spill directly onto the wound on Naruto''s neck.


    He was lying on the sofa. Thanks to the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra, his wounds were slowly healing, though it wasn''t visibly obvious.


    "Hiss! That''s so cold." Naruto hissed through his teeth.


    "Serves you right for not behaving." Ino said with a slight smirk, her long-sleevedvender sweater brushing past his face as she began dabbing the cool cotton swab on his wounds.


    The faint fragrance from Ino''s body stimted Naruto''s pupils to dte slightly.

 Chapter 147 Prejudice

    Chapter 147 Prejudice


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    "Why did you suddenly stop talking?" Ino asked curiously, raising her hand to peek at Naruto''s face through the gap between her arm and chest.


    "Nothing." Naruto replied, unusually quiet, as he turned his head slightly.


    Ino met his gaze for a brief moment before both quickly looked away. Suddenly, Ino seemed to understand something, and her face instantly flushed bright red.


    The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.


    "Let''s stop with the medicine here. I''ll handle the rest myself." Naruto said, feeling a bit guilty.


    "Well, I think... that''s a good idea." Ino stammered, jumping up as if she had been pricked by a thorn, her movements hurried and awkward, "I-I''ll go check on it."


    With stiff movements, Ino walked toward the balcony. With a sudden whoosh, she pulled the sliding door open, allowing the noon wind to rush in from the forest outside. The wind carried the earthy scent and the bitter aroma of green leaves, slowly permeating the room under the sun''s warm rays.


    Though the autumn sun wasn''t particrly strong, it made the young girl''s heart race more than the scorching summer sun ever could.


    It felt as if a seed had been nted in her heart. Even though it had yet to fully sprout, the roots and shoots quietly grew beneath the surface. But once the seedling broke through, it would be impossible to ignore.


    Naruto sat up from the sofa and fiddled with the bottle of disinfectant absentmindedly. He didn''t really need to apply any medicine, nor did he have the heart to do so. Ino was the best medicine.


    Looking at the figure on the balcony, Naruto felt a little conflicted.


    ¡®She''s already so cute at this age. In another three years, Ino''s charm will probably rise to a very terrifying level.¡¯


    ¡®But at the moment, it seemed that few people noticed Ino''s brilliance. Perhaps it was because she had only recently begun to pay attention to her appearance, or maybe it was simply that people are visual creatures.¡¯


    Just as he was lost in thought, a sudden gust of wind swept across the balcony, lifting the hem of Ino''s pleated skirt and revealing a glimpse of the absolute territory beneath her ck tights.


    Naruto suddenly sat up straight on the sofa. Ino let out a sharp scream and quickly covered her skirt. She immediately turned back to re at Naruto with a mix of shame and anger. With a loud m, she pulled the sliding door shut.


    Ino stomped over to Naruto, grabbing him by the cor and asked with gritted teeth, "Did you see everything just now?"


    "No, I didn''t see anything."


    "Impossible!"


    "Uh¡­" Naruto was a little embarrassed, and denied it to the end, "I didn''t see anything."


    "You!" Ino wanted to say more, but then she noticed Naruto''s gaze was fixed on her moist lips. Suddenly, her hands and feet went weak, and she barely managed to let go of his cor and said, "You¡¯d better hope I don''t find out you''re lying."


    Trying to maintain herposure, Ino walked away, stopping in the middle of the living room to turn and say, "I''m going home."


    "Let me walk you back."


    "No, I don''t want my mom to misunderstand that I have anything to do with a pervert like you!!" Ino shouted as she stomped off. Half a minuteter, the sound of the door mming echoed through the apartment.


    The room fell silent once more, and Naruto felt a bit helpless. He could chase after her, but he didn''t want to.


    After all, Ino wasn''t angry, she was just embarrassed.


    At this moment, Naruto decided it was best to stay here for now and go to the Yamanaka Flower Shop in the evening. If he approached Ino now, it would likely result in either an argument or a confession. However, neither of them was what he wanted.


    Lying back on the sofa, Naruto''s ocean-blue eyes gradually calmed down.


    ¡®Tomorrow is thest day of vacation, and these three uneventful days felt dull. I basically spent the first two days sleeping, and if Ino hadn''te, I''m afraid I would have wasted today as well.¡¯


    As for the situation with Ino, he felt that it couldn''t be rushed, and patience was necessary.


    The vigers of Konoha still harbored some fear of him, a sentiment that wouldn¡¯tpletely disappear just because of Tsunade. Although Naruto didn''t care about this for himself, he didn''t want Ino to have to bear it alongside him.


    Prejudices against a person are not easily dispelled, and the blind hatred of the masses can be even more terrifying. If a wall in the vige were to develop a crack, people would eagerly anticipate the day itpletely copses.


    These people weren''t necessarily bad, they were just annoying. However, for now, Naruto didn''t n to pay them any mind. When the Uzumaki n grows stronger in the Konoha Vige, these same people who once feared the "fox demon" would be the ones revering the Uzumaki n, discussing them with pride, as if they had always been on their side. One day, they would bow their heads in genuine reverence.


    With this in mind, Naruto slowly closed his eyes.


    The autumn wind was heavy, and on the balcony, Kurama curled up, peeking towards the living room. Then, he thought to himself, ¡®That girl seemed to have had a quarrel with that brat.¡¯


    ¡®Should I go out now? Will the alcohol in the fridge be thrown away?¡¯


    ¡®What kind of temper do young girls have these days? There''s no way I''d have to do a backflip, right? No way! Absolutely impossible! But that woman seemed quite wealthy.¡¯


    ¡®If there''s plenty of alcohol to drink¡­¡¯


    While Kurama was still tangled in his thoughts, the embarrassed and angry Ino was already near her home, walking along the streets of Konoha, her irritation still not subsided.


    Her team, Team 10, led by Asuma, had only returned to the vige close to midnight yesterday, but Ino still got up early to get dressed after only a few hours of sleep.


    In the end, she had been infuriated by that person, grinding her teeth in frustration.


    "He¡¯s so annoying, I''m never going back there again."


    Ino muttered to herself as she held her key tightly in her hand, the metal warming up from her grip. She bit her lip and whispered to herself, "Forget it, I''ll just throw it back to that guy next time I see him!"


    Just as Ino was about to open the door to the Yamanaka Flower Shop and get some sleep, she overheard a conversation from some passing vigers, and her body froze.


    "You know, ever since that demon became a Shinobi, nothing''s gone right for me. I think my bad luck is all because of that fox demon."


    "Yeah, I just can''t understand why Hokage-sama would let someone so dangerous be a Shinobi. What if he decides to harm us? We can''t beat a Shinobi."


    "Who knows? Maybe they want to use that demon to protect the vige. After all, it''s a demon, so I guess its brain isn''t very good. Just fool it a bit, and it''ll believe anything."


    "Hey, you can''t just say things like that casually¡­"


    Their voices gradually faded, and soon after, the two burst intoughter. However, Ino couldn''t hear what they said next.


    Ino''s hand froze on the door handle outside the store, and her face suddenly became very ugly. She knew Naruto had been ostracized by the vigers since he was a child, but she had thought it was just a matter of them disliking him.


    Moreover, after Tsunade had pulled Naruto close during her inauguration as the Godaime Hokage, it was clear to everyone how much she valued him.


    Later, the higher-ups and the big and small ns of Konoha had indeed stopped making critical remarks, and most of the vigers'' attitudes towards Naruto had also changed.


    Ino had thought things were getting better, but...


    But she never imagined it was this bad, it was simply insane!


    ¡®Why should they me Naruto for their bad luck. Why don''t they me their parents for not giving them a better start in life instead? How infuriating!¡¯

 Chapter 148 Green Tree

    Chapter 148 Green Tree


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    Ino''s hand trembled slightly as she resisted the urge to turn around and argue.


    The Yamanaka Flower Shop was closed in the afternoon, so she opened the door and sluggishly headed upstairs.


    With a thud, Ino threw herself onto her bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. It was only now that she realized she had overlooked so many things all along.


    ¡®Or perhaps, that guy had never shown those things in the first ce.¡¯


    ¡®Although that guy always looks like nothing matters to him and just lies down at home all day, he looks like he has no goals in life.¡¯


    ¡®He was always talking about lewd things, with his mind seemingly filled with nothing but colorful thoughts. He doesn''t look like an honest person at all¡­ Well, he can barely be considered a pleasant person.¡¯


    ¡®But regardless, he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡¯


    Suddenly, Ino realized that if Naruto had never mentioned those things in front of her, it might be because he simply had no one he could trust enough to confide in.


    After all, he was a guy, so it was normal that he wouldn''t bring up such matters in front of her.


    But when she thought about it carefully, it seemed like Naruto didn''t have many friends. Even in the Academy, he only seemed close to Shikamaru, Choji, and a few others.


    But at that time, Naruto was a naughty guy in the Academy, always pulling annoying pranks. Her attention had been focused on Sasuke, and she hadn''t paid much attention to Naruto.


    It was onlyter, after some unknown event, that Naruto seemed to have grown up overnight. It was only then that they began to interact, and she realized he was a better person than she had initially thought.


    Though she had never been in love, just being treated kindly by that guy made her happy. However, she would never admit that she had feelings for him, and felt that it was just an impulse unique to her age.


    Ino¡¯s mind was a jumble, and she couldn''t sort out her thoughts. The future seemed distant, and she had no idea how to face it. In her drowsiness, Ino closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


    At night.


    Ino sat idly in the shop, the Yamanaka Flower Shop''s door wide open, with a sign indicating they were open for business.


    The lights inside were warm and bright, but the shop was silent.


    Suddenly, the doorbell chimed, and Ino sluggishly got up, ready to greet the customer.


    "Wee, how can I help¡­"


    She forced a smile that was both professional and stiff. But halfway through her sentence, she froze, her smile fading as her face turned away, slightly puffing up in annoyance.


    Like any girl who was upset, she asionally nced quickly in Naruto''s direction out of the corner of her eye.


    "I''m here to buy flowers."


    "I won''t sell it to you."


    "Then I¡¯ll just have to go to another flower shop. Next time I meet Auntie, I''ll tell her how you treated a customer so rudely." Naruto said, spreading his hands.


    "My mom won''t believe you!" Ino nced at Naruto with disdain.


    Naruto stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before saying softly, "Why do I seem to remember that Auntie seems to trust me more than you?"


    This sentence hit the nail on the head, and Ino was instantly paralyzed. She suddenly recalled the past incident with the maid outfit.


    ¡®It was this guy who admitted his fault first, but in the end, I was the one who got criticized.¡¯


    "Ahhhhhhhh!!!" Ino suddenly squatted on the ground, burying her head in her arms, feeling utterly defeated.


    ¡®My own biological mother actually trusted an outsider more than her own daughter. The worst part was, it was true!¡¯


    "What do you need the flowers for?" Ino got up from the ground and asked expressionlessly.


    "I¡¯m giving them to someone. Do you think I¡¯d buy flowers just to keep them for myself?"


    "To whom?"


    "How can I tell you this? Anyway, I''m in a hurry and have to leave soon. Whether tonight goes well or not depends entirely on this bouquet of flowers."


    "Hmph!" Ino looked at him disdainfully, "Which ignorant girl are you trying to deceive again?"


    "Don''t worry about that."


    "I¡¯m not worrying. What does it have to do with me?" Ino said seriously, "What flowers do you want? Let me see if there are any leftover from yesterday. I can dig them out of the trash for you."


    ¡°The most expensive ones.¡±


    "Huh? The most expensive ones are only the ones personally arranged by me. One thousand ryo, thank you."


    Ino intentionally exaggerated, extending her pale, delicate hand. Her fingers were like green onion roots, and her palm was plump and smooth, with fine lines that seemed as though they had been carved into jade.


    The Yamanaka Flower Shop was brightly lit, the warm yellow light falling on the two of them, who were separated by a counter. Ino, wearing a green apron with the Yamanaka n symbol printed on it, leaned forward slightly, her lips curling into a slight, defiant smile as she extended her hand.


    Naruto, taller than her by a head, stood there in a loose ck T-shirt and gray shorts, looking both tired andzy. One hand was in his pocket, a yful expression on his face, with his blue eyes reflecting the determined face of the girl before him. His other hand was in his pocket, as if reaching for money.


    Outside, the street was bustling with people, the old streetlights casting a yellowish glow on the worn pavement. Therge green tree rustled in the wind, its leaves fluttering as the orange-yellow light seemed to dance across the entire scene.


    "Pay up." Ino said with pursed lips, her hand still hovering over the counter.


    Time seemed to start moving again at that moment, and across the counter, Naruto had already taken out the one thousand ryo. But after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he put the money back into his pocket and shrugged.


    "I forgot to bring any."


    "Then sorry, no credit." Ino said, crossing her arms over her chest, her tone slightly fierce, "And telling on me won¡¯t work!"


    "Oh well."


    "Hmm?" Ino nced at him, suspicion growing in her mind, "It''s rare to see someone as thick-skinned as you give up so quickly."


    "Well, it¡¯s because I don¡¯t have the money." Naruto said, waving his hand in farewell, "I¡¯ve got to go. I¡¯m in a hurry."


    "Go to hell, you jerk!" Ino added.


    And so, she watched Naruto leave the flower shop, her brow furrowing more deeply with each step he took. As Naruto left the shop without looking back, Ino suddenly felt the urge to throw a handful of shuriken at him.


    She lowered her head and pondered for a few seconds, thinking about the odds of someone being mysteriously beaten up in Konoha and the perpetrator never being found, the kind of mind game that could not find the criminal even after a little bit of reasoning.


    After about three minutes, Ino made up her mind, grabbed a bunch of flowers, and chased after him.


    She thought to herself, ¡®Even if I didn''t make the money today, I would at least give that guy a good beating! He was so infuriating! He was definitely trying to rile me up on purpose. No matter what, today he was going to pay for it!


    ¡®No money? If you don''t have money, I''ll just beat you up!¡¯


    Under the bright lights, Ino rushed out of the shop without even locking the door. She sprinted to the corner by the big green tree, hoping to see where Naruto had run off to.


    Suddenly, hand shot out from behind the green tree and pulled the unsuspecting Ino over.


    With a thud, Ino¡¯s waist and head were cushioned by a pair of soft hands as Naruto held her close, pressing her against the dark side of the tree.


    In the dim light, Ino saw those mischievous eyes, which seemed to be saying, "Gotcha."

 Chapter 149 Don’t Leave

    Chapter 149 Don¡¯t Leave


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    "Ugh, you!" Ino was startled, and after seeing that it was Naruto, she became irritable again, "Aren''t you leaving?"


    "Where to?"


    "How would I know where you¡¯re going?!" Ino frowned, "Let me go."


    "Alright."


    "Then do it!" Ino¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment and anger. Though Naruto said he would let her go, he didn¡¯t actually do anything.


    The next moment, Naruto did let her go, but he didn''t move away from her.


    The light behind the big green tree was dim, and they stood close together, though there was still enough space between them to fit two fists.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going?¡±


    "I was lying."


    Ino could sense that Naruto wasughing, and the flower in her hand was taken away by him. His voice seemed to be teasing her, "I was just waiting here for you. I didn¡¯t go anywhere."


    "Why are you exining so much to me? Who wants to listen to your nonsense?" Ino turned her face away in the darkness. The atmosphere was starting to get to her, but she didn¡¯t want to admit it.


    The truth was, she really wanted to punch this guy right now. To the point that she could abandon the atmosphere and forcibly drag this bastard in front of her into the alley and beat him senseless.


    "These flowers are nice." Naruto remarked.


    "Pay up." Ino retorted unhappily, "Now, immediately."


    "I don¡¯t have any money." His voice was a little hoarse as he grabbed her hand in the darkness, his eyes shining brightly like they were glowing.


    Ino noticed the strange atmosphere, and her heart skipped a beat. After swallowing a mouthful of saliva, she spoke nervously, " If you don¡¯t have money¡­ just¡­ forget it. I¡­ I need to go back now."


    She tried to shrug off his grip and quickly realized her hand was held in his warm palm. Ino pretended not to feel it and lifted her foot to walk away.


    "Don''t leave¡­" Naruto¡¯s voice was low, as if he hadn¡¯t finished his sentence.


    Ino waited for his next words, but they never came. It felt like an iplete thought, stuck halfway, leaving her ufortable.


    "Why?" Ino¡¯s heart softened a bit, but then she remembered she was still mad at him today, so she deliberately put on a stern face.


    The back of the big green tree was dark, with no light to illuminate their faces. They could only guess each other¡¯s expressions through the sound of their breathing and the tone of their voices. Deprived of sight, her senses of smell, touch, and hearing became unusually sharp.


    Ino could hear his increasingly rapid breathing, and her emotions began to stir as well. In the cramped, dark space, her body trembled slightly¡­ not from fear, but from nervous anticipation.


    "Things haven¡¯t been going welltely." Naruto said, his voice a little restrained, as if he was afraid someone else might hear and was trying to keep it between just the two of them.


    There were still a lot of people on Konoha Street at night, with small groups of people strolling by. The sounds ofughter and chatter filled the air,ing and going in waves from the street.


    Under the dim glow of the streemp, half-obscured by therge tree¡¯s thick foliage, a few people stopped in front of the tree, loudly chatting away.


    They had no idea that two people were hidden in the darkness behind the tree, with their bodies almost pressed together and only two fists'' width of space separating them. Naruto¡¯s warm breath brushed against Ino¡¯s neck as they stood there.


    Hearing Naruto say he wasn¡¯t doing well felt like a knife to Ino¡¯s heart,pletely melting away the anger she had been holding onto. She recalled thements she overheard from people earlier that afternoon, and a wave of bitterness washed over her.


    ¡®Why did everyone seem to me everything on a boy who was just trying to live his life? The adults should know better, yet they only knew how to gossip and speak ill of others behind their backs.¡¯


    Ino had wanted to step forward and confront them, to demand why they thought it was okay to treat Naruto like that. Even though she wasn¡¯t entirely sure of her feelings toward Naruto, she knew one thing for certain¡­ she wanted him to be happy.


    She hoped that the path he walked would be filled with cheers and support, not with gossip and thorns.


    She still wanted to ask them why, but she knew she would likely be dismissed as crazy. As she thought about it, an absurd idea suddenly crossed her mind, ¡®If our roles were reversed, what would this guy do?¡¯


    ¡®With his carefree attitude, he¡¯d probably take advantage of the darkness, smash their houses, and then pin the me on someone else. After causing havoc, he¡¯d go home and sleep peacefully, feeling no guilt at all.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s just the kind of person he was, always rxed andzy, yet with a cunning streak. Having a friend like him brought a sense of security, knowing I¡¯d never be left to suffer alone.¡¯


    Only now did Ino realize that even someone like Naruto could ufortable too.


    Naruto, meanwhile, was getting slightly intoxicated by the scent of Ino''s soft, sweet fragrance. He couldn¡¯t even string his thoughts together properly. He wanted to say that he hadn''t been doing well recently, and the mission intensity was a bit high.


    For azy guy like him, it is better to lie at home and sleep than to go on missions every day.


    But Tsunade is his direct superior, and the purpose of letting him do the mission is to improve his strength. After all, Tsunade doesn''t know that a certain yellow-hairedzy guy ??has a system to rely on.


    For a Shinobi, the fastest way to be stronger is through realbat, and no amount of theory could rece actual experience.


    Tsunade understood this and acted ordingly, leaving Naruto with little room to refuse. Only when the vige¡¯s backlog of missions was mostly cleared could he dare to request some time off from Tsunade.


    Otherwise, Tsunade would definitely use the reason that the vige is short of manpower and that he has to do some missions even if he doesn''t practice, and continue to lure and pressure him toplete the mission.


    Naruto¡¯s thoughts were on apletely different wavelength than Ino¡¯s. He was just a bit overwhelmed by the situation, struggling to contain his surging hormones.


    So, his voice bes hoarse, low, and rough.


    But Ino believed that Naruto was burdened by too much negativity, and she thought he was barely holding it together. In a way, she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, as Naruto did channel a lot of his stress into his more lighthearted behaviors, spending the rest of his time lying around and pretending not to care. The malice directed at him hadn¡¯t disappeared, but he had just grown numb to it.


    "You said you¡­ How-"


    Before she could even finish her words, Ino couldn''t help but put her free hand across her eyes, tears instantly streaming down her face.


    Her uncontroble sobs left Naruto flustered and unsure of what to do.


    He was dumbfounded, thinking to himself, ¡®All I did was take a whiff of her scent¡­ How could it be like this? How could she even notice that? Women are really terrifying!¡¯


    Ino¡¯s shoulders trembled as she cried, her breathing shaky, and tears streamed down her face.


    "Come on, stop crying." He said nervously, "I didn''t do anything, Ino, I..."


    Before Naruto could finish his sentence, he felt her embrace him in the darkness.


    Ino held onto him tightly as she cried, her sobs muffled against his chest, making sure no one else could hear.

 Chapter 150 Hiding

    Chapter 150 Hiding


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    In front of the big green tree, the light from the streemp is dim and weak.


    An old couple who had just returned from visiting a friend stopped in front of the big green tree. Inoichi turned his head toward the direction of the tree, pointing to the area behind it, and asked curiously, "Rino, did you hear someone crying?"


    Rino turned her head and looked at the green tree for a few seconds, then said with her eyes slightly shifting, "Really? Inoichi, why don''t you go take a look?"


    "Alright." Inoichi responded and walked over there.


    Behind the big green tree, when Ino heard her father''s voice, her mind went nk.


    She quickly let go of Naruto, causing her sobbing to stop abruptly. However, the sudden silence made her body start trembling, and the tears continued to flow.


    Listening to the increasingly clear footsteps of her father, Ino''s heart was beating wildly. She was so nervous that she clung tightly to Naruto¡¯s neck. Leaning close to his ear, she whispered urgently, "What should we do?"


    Naruto didn¡¯t respond with words. Instead, he gently pulled Ino to the side, trying to move them out of sight. He could feel Ino¡¯s rapid heartbeat and noticed how agitated she was, breathing heavily.


    Sensing her distress, he held onto her hand, and the warmth from his palm helped Ino regain a bit ofposure. And at this moment, Inoichi¡¯s footsteps were approaching. The two of them knew that if Inoichi took just two more steps, they¡¯d be discovered with nowhere to hide.


    Just then, Rino¡¯s voice called out from a short distance away, "Inoichi, I think Ino might still be in the shop."


    "Hmm?" Hearing this, Inoichi turned his head to look at his wife, "Ino was still napping this afternoon. Is she already awake?"


    Behind the big green tree, Ino covered her mouth tightly. At this time, her father''s voice was only two meters away from them, with the tree providing just enough cover for them to hide.


    "Let¡¯s go back and check on her. She¡¯s been working too hard on her missions." Rino said with a light chuckle.


    "Okay."


    After Inoichi said that, he turned around and walked back, and the sound of his footsteps slowly faded away.


    "I need to get home right now!" Ino, as if jolted by electricity, quickly pulled her hand away from Naruto''s, stammering as she backed out from the shadow of the tree, "You, you, you..."


    Naruto was speechless at how quickly Ino''s demeanor had changed. She stammered out a few ¡®you¡¯s, but ultimately couldn''t find the words to express herself, her face flushing red before she spun around and dashed off.


    Half a minuteter, Naruto also stepped out from behind the tree. He stood under the tree for a moment, looking at the brightly lit Yamanaka Flower Shop, then turned and left.


    Taking advantage of the night, he walked along Konoha Street to buy something to eat before heading home. The street, lined with shops and bustling like a string of lights, was crowded with people. Naruto blended into the crowd, casually scanning the food stalls along the way.


    The sizzle of hot oil and the bright lights of the stalls were apanied by the noisy chatter of people.


    "Yes, I¡¯ll have some takoyaki and that one." He pointed at the golden food, but for a moment he couldn''t remember the name, and he stood there without speaking.


    "Tempura." Someone behind him reminded.


    "Yeah, that." Naruto echoed, but when he turned around, he froze.


    "What¡¯s with that look on your face? Surprised to see me?" Sakura asked with a smile.


    Her eyes curved into crescent moons, her pink short hair and dark blue eyes reflecting the bright lights of the street and Naruto¡¯s astonished face.


    Her skin was as white as snow, with bare arms that resembled lotus roots, naturally hanging at her sides.


    "No, nothing, Sakura. Weren¡¯t you training at the Konoha Hospital under Tsunade-sama?" Naruto, recalling the awkward situation in the duty roomst month, felt a bit embarrassed.


    Her ¡®Who is Sasuke?¡¯ remark had truly shaken him. After that, with the heavy load of missions, he had simply avoided seeing her. Without Sasuke, Team 7 existed in name only. Kakashi had been handpicked by Tsunade as her sessor, so he was busy training andpleting missions to build up his experience, leaving little time to manage them.


    Sakura had entered Tsunade¡¯s medical training program for further studies, while Naruto, serving as Konoha¡¯s temp worker, flexibly joined various Genin Teams for missions.


    In general, the situation of Team 7 is like this: The rebellious Sasuke dropped out to seek revenge, Sakura took the initiative to take the postgraduate entrance examination and was admitted, the former mentor Kakashi was forced to pursue a doctorate, and only Naruto, the street drifter, remained stuck in limbo, unable to graduate as a Genin.


    "Today happens to be my day off, so I decided to go out for a stroll." Sakura smiled naturally, as if she didn''t remember what happened some time ago at all.


    "But Naruto, you seem to have been quite busytely. I haven¡¯t seen you or Kakashi-sensei in a while now."


    "After the Chunin Exams, the vige umted a lot of missions, so being busy was unavoidable." Naruto scratched his face and chatted calmly.


    "Customer, your takoyaki and tempura are ready!"


    "Oh, oh, thank you."


    Naruto reached out to pay and took the food from the vendor. He turned to Sakura, intending to find an excuse to leave, but she quickly grabbed his sleeve and said, "Mine will be ready soon. Just wait for me a moment."


    "Uh¡­"


    With his attempt to escape preempted by Sakura, Naruto had no choice but to stand aside and wait. A few minutester, Sakura emerged from the crowd, blowing on her steaming takoyaki.


    "Come walk with me." She said with a smile.


    "Okay." After a moment''s thought, Naruto agreed.


    The nighttime scenery of Konoha Street wasn¡¯t particrly impressive, even somewhat monotonous, with uniformly dim streetlights that seemed to be on the verge of flickering out. The sky was overcast, with neither stars nor a moon visible, just a dull gray.


    Naruto walked ahead with the food in his hand, and his other hand in his pocket. Sakura followed a step behind, leisurely blowing on her takoyaki before taking a bite.


    "Aren¡¯t you going to eat?" Sakura''s voice came from behind.


    "I¡¯ve got a dog at home. I¡¯ll share it with him when I get back." Naruto repliedzily.


    ¡°Is it cute?¡±


    "Not really, more like scary." He answered after thinking for a moment.


    Sakura chuckled when she heard this, "Scary? What kind of strange creature have you adopted this time?"


    "I found him by the roadside. He¡¯s a bit shy."


    "Naruto." Suddenly, Sakura stopped walking, calling his name in a serious tone.


    "Hmm?" Naruto, now four or five meters ahead of her, stopped as well. Then, he looked back at her, "What''s up?"


    "Are you avoiding me?"


    "No." Naruto denied, but the extremely long distance between the two of them spoke volumes, "I just don¡¯t want any trouble. Do you still remember Sasuke?"


    "Well¡­" Sakura frowned, "Are you asking me, or are you asking her?"


    "What do you mean?" Naruto''s eyelids twitched slightly.


    "The Sakura you know is hiding." Sakura''s eyebrows were curved as she smiled. She pointed at her head and said, "I still remember Sasuke-kun."


    "Oh, that¡¯s too bad." Naruto said, and immediately turned to leave.


    Hurried footsteps followed, and Sakura immediately ran in front of him to block his way, "Why are you reacting like that?"


    "I¡¯m not close to you, so there¡¯s nothing to talk about." Naruto replied, his tonepletely indifferent.

 Chapter 151 I Don’t Want to Know Anything

    Chapter 151 I Don¡¯t Want to Know Anything


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    ¡°Not close?¡± Sakura¡¯s smile was beginning to falter.


    "Why are you telling me all this?" Naruto nced at her sideways, "Wouldn''t it be better for everyone to just pretend nothing''s wrong and continue with our missions?"


    "I thought you''ve already figured it out." Sakura replied.


    "So what? I can pretend I don''t know." Naruto sighed and said, "But now that you''ve suddenly decided to confess, you''ve made things really difficult for me."


    "Can''t there be a bit of mutual understanding between us? Or perhaps a shared secret? If I don''t say anything, and you don''t say anything, and with Sasuke far away, who would know your secret?"


    "I''m surprised by your thinking." Sakura said, still smiling.


    "There''s nothing surprising about it." Naruto spread his hands, revealing a somewhat unfriendly smile, "The so-calledpanions are those who apany each other through life and death."


    "But if Sakura''s heart has gone with Sasuke, it puts me in a tough spot. I just need apanion. It makes no difference to me whether it''s you or Sakura, right?"


    "Well, have you convinced yourself with that?" Sakura asked with a bit of amusement, tilting her head slightly, "I thought you might be angry or even have a breakdown."


    "If you''d like, I can act that out for you now."


    "No need." Sakura replied with a smile.


    "Then can we start over? Let''s forget everything that happened tonight, and pretend that nothing happened." Naruto''s face showed a trace of unhappiness.


    ¡®I had carefully yed dumb, but this idiot turned around andy everything out in the open.¡¯


    "No, I want to tell you, Naruto." Sakura shook her head.


    Naruto closed his eyes in despair and sighed deeply, "I don''t want to see anything, I don''t want to hear anything, I don''t want to know anything. Why do you have to tell me?"


    Under the dim streetlight, Sakura remained silent for a long time before lifting her head, and said seriously, "I want to be remembered. In case I disappear one day, I might not even leave a trace of my existence. Everyone would only remember her, not me."


    "My memory isn''t that great, and I tend to forget a lot of people and things." Naruto scratched his face, looking up at the dark sky, "I might even forget by tomorrow after a good night''s sleep."


    Upon hearing this, Sakura stepped forward and picked up a takoyaki with a bamboo skewer, offering it to Naruto.


    "Here."


    Naruto stared at the takoyaki for a moment but didn''t reach out to take it.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Afraid I poisoned it?"


    "Tsunade-sama once did. You''re her student¡­" Naruto said with a look of disbelief, "What if you¡¯re trying to silence someone who knows your secret?"


    "Then, do I need to take such a big risk and go through so much trouble?"


    "Maybe you just enjoy the process ofmitting the crime." Naruto stroked his chin and mused, "Or maybe you want to satisfy some twisted desire, like killing someone with lies, watching them drown in endless hatred before they die."


    Sakura: "¡­ You are obviously the more twisted one here."


    "Don''t worry, I know you won''t tell anyone about this secret between us." She handed over the takoyaki and said, "You can think of this as me trying to win your favor."


    "Huh? Why?" Naruto narrowed his eyes.


    "Naruto-kun, you¡¯re the only one who knows that I exist. If you forget about me, then I will really cease to exist." Sakura said with a smile.


    "I want you to remember me, Naruto. Even if I disappear one day, I want to still live on in your memories."


    "So, there''s no way I would harm you!"


    Naruto nced at Sakura sideways and said disdainfully, "I don''t believe a single word women say."


    Sakura''s face twitched slightly and her smile froze on her face.


    Back at home, he opened the door.


    In the end, he still didn''t eat the takoyaki. After saying something that shattered Sakura''sposure, he turned around and left. Just thinking about Sakura now gave him chills, so there was no way he was going to get close to her.


    Today, he got caught, and there was nothing he could do about it.


    But Sakura wouldn''t usually be on missions with him unless there were special circumstances. Whether it was the old Sakura or the inner Sakura, Naruto felt that it was best to stay away from a yandere with a dual personality.


    Sakura''s situation was indeed rare, but he didn''t really care. He didn''t want to deal with the old Sakura, who was obsessed with Sasuke, nor the inner Sakura.


    If he has such free time, he¡¯d rather spend it lying around.


    With a click, the lights came on, filling the living room with brightness.


    "Kurama, get out here!" Naruto called out as he walked, cing the food he had brought on the dining table, "Hurry up, I brought you something to eat. Next time, you need to help me buy things."


    As soon as the words fell, there was movement in the room where Kurama was. Due to the absence of ¡®certain part¡¯, Kurama usually walked upright when no one was around.


    The way he swaggered out and opened the door was reminiscent of Tom the Cat.


    "You''re the real dog here." Kurama grumbled as he deftly jumped onto the sofa, lying down whileining, "How am I supposed to buy you food? Walk around with money in my mouth like a dumb dog?"


    "You could."


    ¡°Get lost." Kurama scoffed, "Now hurry up and present your offering to the great me!"


    Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Kurama jumped off the sofa and hurried to the kitchen, grabbing some alcohol from the fridge. With a practiced motion, he popped it open.


    "Hey, Kurama, how abouting with me on a mission next time?" Naruto suddenly suggested.


    "Another mission with those pet-loving idiots? No thanks!" After saying that, Kurama picked up the bottle of alcohol with his paws and startedining.


    "It probably won''t be with them." Naruto ate the fried tempura, frowned, and swallowed it with difficulty, "You should get out and stretch your legs. Staying cooped up at home all the time will make you rusty."


    "As if the great me could ever be weakened by mere indulgence." Kyuubi mumbled, taking another swig, "I can go, but you have to bring the booze with you."


    Naruto thought for a moment. Since he had a seal space, carrying a few things wouldn''t be a problem. So, he readily agreed, and the matter was settled.


    Since the arrival of autumn, the weather in Konoha had be increasingly strange.


    Faced with the embarrassing situation of only having one day left of vacation, Naruto calmly devised a n to pass the time, intending to quietly enjoy this hard-earned vacation time alone.


    He no longer expected anyone to be free to spend time with him at this time, after all, all Shinobi had different schedules for their time off.


    He just happened to meet Ino today. He guesses that she was probably already out on another mission tomorrow, likely under Asuma''s lead.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    "Anyway." Naruto said, curled up in his thin nket, only his head peeking out as he grinned at Kurama, "As long as I''m home sleeping, no one will bother me."


    "You''re the realzy one." Kurama muttered, taking a swig of alcohol, "It''s so quiet. But I have a feeling you won''t be getting any sleep today."


    "You better shut your trap." Naruto retorted. His room was wide open, and his sword was ced near the room¡¯s door. He did that so that he could draw his sword and rush to the entrance the moment there was a knock on the door.

 Chapter 152 Shuraba

    Chapter 152 Shuraba


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    Narutoy on his bed, boasting to Kurama, "With my current strength, even Uchiha Madara would have to take a hit before leaving."


    Kurama gave him a disdainful look, not bothering to respond.


    Before noon, a sound came from the window. An Anbu member wearing an animal mask knocked on the window. The moment Naruto turned his head, he recognized the purple-haired Anbu as Uzuki Yugao.


    Outside the window, lush green trees spread their branches, intertwining and extending to Naruto''s windowsill, as if enchanted. The branches crisscrossed and twisted like a web.


    With an annoyed expression, Naruto, still in his pajamas, forcefully opened the window, letting a st of cold air rush in.


    "What?"


    "Tsunade-sama is looking for you."


    "I''m still on vacation, I''m not going!" Naruto replied irritably, "No one can disturb me from resting at home."


    "Suit yourself." Yugao replied from behind her Anbu mask as she stood up, "But Tsunade-sama already predicted you''d say. She asked me to tell you that if you''re not at the Hokage''s Office in half an hour, you''ll regret it."


    After saying that, she jumped onto the roof and disappeared in an instant, leaving Naruto holding the quilt in a daze.


    After a while, Naruto reluctantly dragged his tired body out of bed. After getting dressed, he walked out of the living room with a face full of despair. ncing at Kurama, who was still drinking, he sighed, "You won''t have any more booze tomorrow."


    ¡°You brat!!¡±


    ¡­


    Hokage Tower.


    "Even if you are the Godaime Hokage, you shouldn''t be overworking a Shinobi like this! I still have one more day off! Damn it!"


    Naruto was full ofints, grumbling loudly even before entering the room. His eyes were full of resentment as he pushed open the door to the Hokage''s Office.


    The room was silent, and everyone''s eyes were on the blonde who had just burst in.


    Behind the group, Tsunade sat at her desk with her fingers crossed, her face somewhat gloomy. Naruto immediately sensed that something was off, and when he looked around, he was also stunned.


    ¡®Team 3, Team 8, Team 10¡­ everyone is here.¡¯


    Shikamaru''s deadpan expression didn''t change, but his brow twitched when Naruto barged in. Choji secretly nced at Tsunade¡¯s gloomy face, then squinted at Naruto, cold sweat oozing from his forehead.


    Ino looked embarrassed. She covered her face and turned her head to the window, not wanting to look at the embarrassing guy.


    Kiba still had that gloating look on his face as he looked at Naruto, while Shino remained unfazed, Hinata quietly whispered ¡®Naruto-kun¡¯, but then quickly lowered her head.


    The innocent Lee was shocked, questioning Naruto''s sanity for being so bold in front of the Fifth Hokage. As for Neji, having heard some rumors, he showed no emotion.


    Tenten frowned as she looked at the yellow-haired boy in front of them, and recalled Naruto''s terrifying look at thest moment of the mission in Land of Rivers some time ago. She felt like the person before her was somewhat unreal.


    ¡°Cough.¡±


    Realizing he had messed up, Naruto quickly stood up straight, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "Tsunade-sama, I heard that you were looking for me?"


    "Indeed, there''s something for you to do. But you''ve also just created a problem for yourself." Tsunade said, her brows furrowed, "However, I won''t deal with that today. If you can''tplete this mission¡­"


    Naruto watched in rm as Tsunade''s expression darkened, crushing a ss in her hand with ease. He gasped, wondering if this was some terrifying ¡®The female boss''s mission¡¯.


    Seeing that Naruto had finally stood up straight, Tsunade''s expression softened slightly. Supporting her head with one hand, she began issuing orders to the ten Shinobi present in the room.


    What Tsunade called a mission was the annual outdoor exercise held by the Academy, led by outstanding graduating Genin, which was simr in nature to the summer camp for young kids.


    "The Godaime Hokage is really too much. She canceled my vacation just to y babysitter for kids." Naruto muttered in despair as he leaned against the wall outside the Academy.


    The Academy had selected twenty-seven students and divided them into nine teams. Each team was assigned a supervising Genin. To put it bluntly, it was just a Shinobi-themed summer camp, a glorified ydate.


    Starting from the Academy and climbing a distant mountain would be considered a sess.


    Naruto, looking extremely reluctant, wore an expression that said he was being forced into something against his will. Iruka, watching his former mischievous student, felt a headacheing on. He called out to Naruto several times but received no response.


    Because Shikamaru showed his leadership qualities during the Konoha Crush and made outstanding contributions to the vige''s defense, he was promoted to Chunin as an exception and was spared from this babysitting mission.


    Shikamaru, who is standing beside Iruka, sighed with dead eyes and said, "Iruka-sensei, there''s no point calling that guy that. He won''t listen."


    "What?" Iruka was a little helpless when he heard that. He turned to look at Shikamaru and asked, "Shikamaru, do you have any good ideas?"


    "Me? I can''t do anything about that guy either." Shikamaru, who was wearing a Chunin green vest, said, "But I do know someone who can."


    "Ino!" Shikamaru suddenly called out loudly.


    Ino, who was standing in front of a group of young students, suddenly felt a shiver down her spine, and like a startled cat, she turned her head and red at Shikamaru, shouting, "Don''t call me!"


    "There''s no one else who can bring that guy back. If he keeps messing around, we''ll run out of time." Shikamaru said with a sigh, "This is such a drag. Just get him back already."


    "You do it yourself." Ino frowned and her cheeks felt slightly hot.


    "What the heck is Naruto doing?" Kiba muttered as he looked at Naruto leaning against the wall in the distance, "Hinata, go get him."


    "Me?" Hinata''s face instantly turned crimson, and she instinctively shook her head, "Naruto-kun, he... he won''t listen to me."


    The distance between them wasn''t close, so Kiba only heard Shikamaru telling Ino to get Naruto, but Ino seemed to have refused. Not wanting to waste time, Kiba directly called for Hinata.


    "Hinata, don''t hesitate. That guy is always slow and shameless, but he will respond to you." Kiba urged, "Hurry up and drag him back!"


    "¡­ Okay." Hinata left the team formation and walked in one direction under the puzzled gazes of the three children she led.


    At the end of that direction was a yellow-haired boy who was leaning against the wall, it is unknown what he was thinking.


    Naruto, who was extremely resistant to this task, felt that Tsunade was just being crazy for forcing him to give up his vacation for this. As he leaned against the wall, trying to mentally prepare himself, he suddenly noticed someone timidly approaching him.


    ¡®Hinata?¡¯


    ¡®Why is she here?¡¯


    ¡®But if it was Hinata, maybe I could take the opportunity to pretend to be sick. Given Hinata''s personality, she definitely wouldn''t expose me, and I could easily get out of this mission.¡¯


    Naruto narrowed his eyes, thinking about how to pretend to be sick and take a break, when he suddenly found that Ino had walked towards him without him noticing.


    Hinata, somewhat nervous, softly said, "Naruto-kun, um, the training mission is about to start. If you really don''t want to do it, I''ll do my best to help you."


    "You! Hurry up and get going already! What are you wasting time here for? Damn it!" Ino had arrived and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes swept across the gentle Hinata before they coldly locked onto Naruto like a dagger.

 Chapter 153 Give In or Not

    Chapter 153 Give In or Not


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    Fortunately, everyone''s attention was not focused on this. The group of young students from the Academy were still listening attentively to Iruka exining the rules of the exercise.


    Hinata was startled at first, but calmed down once she realized it was just Ino.


    "Alright, I''ll head over now." Naruto quickly responded, sensing the awkward atmosphere and wanting to defuse it as soon as possible.


    Hearing this, although Ino was unhappy, she decided to let it go and didn''t push further.


    Just as Naruto was about to move past Hinata, he felt a gentle tug on his clothes. Turning back, he saw Hinata blushing, her breath slightly uneven, making her look incredibly adorable as she softly said, "Let me exin the exercise rules to you, Naruto-kun. You were too far away to hear them clearly."


    "He must have heard everything, right?" Ino chimed in, stepping closer and giving Naruto a warning look with her eyes. "Actually, I can give you a brief rundown of the rules as well."


    "N-Naruto-kun..." Hinata tried to be assertive for once, but she immediately shrank back before she could finish her words.


    "No need, Iruka-sensei was shouting so loudly that I heard it all." Naruto chose the safest approach and answered carefully.


    Even when facing Itachi, he had never been so panicked. A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he nced back and forth between the two girls, trying to gauge their reactions.


    Ino, seeing Hinata''s demeanor, eventually softened. She shot Naruto onest fierce re before turning and walking away.


    "Alright then, Naruto-kun, you should hurry back. The exercise is about to start." Hinata seemed a little nervous, her voice was a little stiff, and she also returned to her team.


    Shikamaru also noticed the movement over there. He called Iruka and pointed in Naruto''s direction with a chuckle, looking somewhat proud and somewhat emotional.


    Seeing Ino approaching, he said with a chuckle, "Ino, you''re still the only one who can handle him! Look, he''sing over now!"


    "It has nothing to do with me!" Ino was annoyed and embarrassed. She didn''t know where to vent her anger, so she could only squint her eyes and cast one more nce in that direction.


    Hinata also slowly rejoined her team. No one knew what Kiba said to the three kids she was leading, which suddenly caused a chorus of teasing, making Hinata''s face flush bright red.


    Naruto, having narrowly avoided the shuraba, yawned andzily strolled over to the team he was supposed to lead. It was called a team, but in fact it was just three usual kids, Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon.


    The three of them looked at Naruto in disbelief. He was dressed in a loose white short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and even slippers. He hadn''t even bothered to wear his forehead protector. He looked like he''d just rolled out of bed, leaving them speechless.


    Tsunade was already satisfied that she could drag him out of his vacation to perform the exercise mission, and she didn''t bother to pay attention to the details. Iruka, pressed for time, was just d Naruto wasn''t causing trouble.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Konohamaru jumped out and pointed at Naruto as heined.


    "Hmm?"


    Naruto nced at Konohamaru, suddenly remembering that he had beaten the kid up once and thenpletely ignored him afterward.


    ¡®It seemed I had gone too easy on him before.¡¯


    As Naruto raised his hand, Konohamaru quickly shrank behind Moegi.


    "You little brat, show some respect for your elders." Naruto said as hezily scratched his leg and surveyed the three of them, "Anyway, tough luck, I''m your leader now."


    "As for strength, I''m obviously the strongest. So there''s no need for a roadmap or anything like that. All you need to do is hold on to the belief that you''re heading towards the finish line from the beginning."


    " Naruto-niichan, what you said is totally unreliable!" Konohamaru cautiously peeked out from behind Moegi, and protested, "We could easily get lost!"


    "Simple-minded fool. There is no path in this world. Naruto replied, crumpling the route map into a ball and stuffing it into his pocket, sounding aszy as ever.


    "Anyway, you brats just have to follow me. Back in the day, I was known as..."


    ¡­


    Deep in the forest.


    Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon stood back-to-back, staring nkly at Naruto, who was fumbling with the route map.


    "We''repletely lost!" Konohamaru yelled in frustration, "Nii-chan, you don''t even know how to read a map. What should we do now? We''re totally lost!"


    "Quiet!" Naruto, taking advantage of his height, hoisted Konohamaru up and lectured him while holding the map with one hand, "Silence is a noble quality of a Shinobi."


    "If you keep making a fuss, I''ll seal your mouth shut."


    "Konohamaru!" Moegi looked at Konohamaru, who was struggling in Naruto''s hands, with some concern.


    "Ah, got it!" Naruto eximed, finally putting Konohamaru down.


    "Did you find the direction?" Udon and Moegi immediately gathered around the map, ignoring the now-grounded Konohamaru, "Let us see, which route is it?"


    "No route." Naruto replied, stroking his chin.


    Moegi and Udon fell down and groaned in frustration, "Then what''s the point? We are not going to be trapped here forever, are we?"


    "Nope!" Naruto said confidently, yanking all three of them up like pulling carrots and making them stand in line.


    "I''ve got a better idea now. Since there are nine teams, we''ll just bump into another team¡¯s route and follow them."


    "Find someone and follow them."


    Konohamaru: ¡°¡­¡±


    Moegi: ¡°¡­¡±


    Udon: ¡°¡­¡±


    Naruto¡¯s unshakeable confidence and shameless logic left the three kidspletely stunned. They wondered how could such a chaotic thought process feel so oddly reassuring?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Naruto tossed the route map aside and began leading Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon in a random direction.


    By sheer luck, they soon stumbled upon two teams, one ahead of them and one behind.


    Not far away, Ino looked at the four who had just emerged from the forest like a bunch of wild monkeys with aplicated expression. Hinata was leading three little students to look for herbs, and identally ran into the two teams led by Ino and Naruto.


    Three teams, three different directions, but thanks to a certain blond''s outrageous move, they had all miraculously converged.


    "Naruto-niichan, enemy sighted! Should we engage?" Konohamaru asked loudly, already pulling out a shuriken from his ninja tool pouch.


    As soon as these words were spoken, the six kids from the two opposing teams also became nervous and prepared to fight back.


    Hinata hesitated, wanting to exin the situation but feeling conflicted, ¡®ording to the exercise rules, we were supposed to either avoid conflict or engage in a battle.¡¯


    ¡®But fighting¡­ that kind of thing didn''t seem right. No matter what, this is just an ordinary exercise for young students.¡¯


    ¡®Moreover, each team has been assigned a specific route, ensuring there would be time and space differences to avoid running into each other.¡¯


    Hinata nced at Ino and Naruto, her lips pursed slightly as she felt a faint pang of jealousy for the first time.


    ¡®But¡­ There is one thing I don''t want to avoid.¡¯


    Ino''s eyes wereplicated, as she obviously realized that there were only two ways left. Whoever backed down first would leave the other two teams to continue.


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">To give in or not to give in?

 Chapter 154 This is Called Strategy

    Chapter 154 This is Called Strategy


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    "Stop spouting nonsense!" Naruto grabbed Konohamaru and tossed him backward, where Moegi and Udon caught him, "This is a mountain-climbing exercise, no need for battles."


    "Oh." Konohamaru was depressed and put away the shuriken dejectedly.


    "Oh your head!" Naruto shot him a nce, raising his hand threateningly. Seeing this, Konohamaru skillfully hid behind Moegi.


    Udon stood there in confusion, then turned to look at Konohamaru and asked, "Konohamaru, why aren''t you hiding behind me? You always hide behind Moegi."


    "Are you dumb?" Konohamaru poked half of his head out from behind Moegi, with a look of disappointment on his face, "If I hid behind you, both of us would get beaten up together!"


    "That makes sense." Udon scratched his head and said.


    Seeing Konohamaru shrink back, the other six Academy kids collectively sighed in relief, as at least there would be no fight. In fact, none of them had ever been in a real battle yet.


    After throwing away Konohamaru, the brat who couldn''t read the atmosphere, the scene suddenly became much more harmonious.


    Hinata also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She didn''t want to see anyone get hurt, and a warm smile appeared on her face. She looked up at the sky and mustered up the courage to speak out, "It''s going to rain soon. We should find a ce to set up our tents and avoid getting wet."


    After saying this, Hinata felt her cheeks getting hot, but fortunately, she didn''t blush. She cautiously looked up and noticed Naruto was looking at her.


    "Yeah, it¡¯s going to rain." Naruto agreed, stepping forward and stopping between the two girls. He looked up at the cloudy sky and said, "This ce is full of trees. Let''s find a ce with higher ground."


    "Isn''t it the same as not saying anything?" Ino remarked, giving Naruto a sideways nce as her eyes flickered slightly, "There''s no way three teams can fit into one tent, right?"


    "Technically, only one or maybe two teams could squeeze into a tent to avoid the rain. If a third team shows up, someone¡¯s going to get soaked."


    The rumbling of thunder could already be heard overhead, faint but indicating that a downpour was imminent. The surrounding forest wasn¡¯t thick enough to offer shelter, so apart from tents, there was nowhere suitable to hide from the rain.


    Hinata obviously came prepared, with a small tent stashed in her sealing scroll. But as Ino pointed out, there are three teams here, so a choice had to be made.


    It was impossible for three teams to squeeze into one tent, so either two teams would stay and squeeze in, while the other would leave, or two teams would leave, leaving one to temporarily shelter from the rain.


    Ino fell silent. The light in the forest was dim, and the moment she nced at Naruto and Hinata, her heart ached slightly, and her gaze shrank back as if she had been electrocuted.


    Memories of the night of the fireworks festival shed through her mind, especially the moment when Naruto instinctively shielded Hinata.


    ¡®Would he have done the same for me if it had been me instead?¡¯


    Her thoughts swirled like autumn leaves, chaotic in the wind of the impending rain.


    In that moment, she realized she wasn¡¯t as generous or understanding as she had thought, and there are some things she didn¡¯t want to give up.


    "The tent¡¯s too small, huh?" Naruto turned around and looked at everyone. "I¡¯ve got a tent too. It¡¯s supposed to be for missions, but I guess it¡¯lle in handy now."


    "Let¡¯s head towards the mountaintop together. If it starts raining, we¡¯ll set up the tents."


    "Together?" Ino¡¯s expression grew moreplicated. "But each team has a separate route, right?"


    "We''re lost." Konohamaru stepped out from behind Moegi and interrupted, "Naruto-niichan said if we find a team and follow them, we can reach the mountaintop without trouble."


    "You scum." Ino red at Naruto with disdain upon hearing that. She walked up to Naruto and pinched him hard on the waist, "You didn¡¯t listen to the rules Iruka-sensei exined, did you?!"


    "Ah!! Ino, are you trying to kill me?"


    "That¡¯s exactly how you treat scum."


    "I just didn''t hear the rules of the exercise clearly, is that a big deal?" Naruto gasped in pain, "Besides, I was on vacation."


    "Why are you so unwilling?" Ino snorted coldly.


    "I didn''t want toe to this godforsaken ce in the first ce. I should be lying in bed right now, not standing here in flip-flops in the middle of nowhere."


    "No one is forcing you toe if you don''t want to. You can leave now! I''ll take Konohamaru and the other two with me."


    "Can you handle six kids on your own?" Naruto was slightly stunned, "Besides, I''m still lost. If you are willing to take care of three burdens, you might as well lead me out too."


    "I''m not taking you. Find your own way!" Ino snorted and red at him coldly.


    "Then I''ll just follow from behind." Naruto said with a mischievous grin, spreading his hands in a carefree manner, "You wouldn''t notice it anyway."


    "You!!"


    Hinata looked at Naruto, then at Ino, and suddenly became a little flustered. She felt that these two seemed to be arguing. However, her innate intuition as a girl told her that their rtionship was good¡­ Better than hers with Naruto.


    "Then I''ll follow Hinata." Naruto suddenly said.


    "Eh?" Hinata''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "No!"


    Ino abruptly walked over, grabbing Hinata''s hand and pulling her into her group. Hinata was bewildered, but still allowed Ino to hold her hand.


    "I can''t let Hinata be deceived by you!"


    Seeing this, Naruto''s smile stiffened and he thought to himself, ¡®At least leave me one option.¡¯


    Ino noticed Naruto''s defeated expression, and a triumphant smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Clearing her throat, she said, "Anyway, you''re on your own. We''re not helping you."


    "Right, Hinata?"


    Hinata blinked her eyes in confusion. Facing Ino''s gaze, her face showing hesitation and struggle. She lowered her head, opened her mouth, and spoke softly, "Mm."


    Ino and Hinata each led their teams toward the mountain''s peak, while Naruto trailed behind with Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon.


    Thunder rumbled overhead, and the air felt unusually damp.


    "Naruto-niichan, why can''t we just catch up to them?" Konohamaruined, "I want to follow that nee-chan, she looks more reliable."


    "Shut up, I''m the most reliable." Naruto pouted and said, "What do you know? This is called strategy. When it rains heavilyter, they will still have toe to me for help."


    "How could that small tent fit eight people?"


    "Really?"


    "Of course." Naruto dered confidently.


    Suddenly, with a loud thunderous, the sky darkened dramatically as if someone had switched off the lights above the clouds. A silver bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, foreshadowing theing of a rainstorm.


    Hinata''s and Ino''s teams have already found a spot to set up their tents. The six kids from the Academy don''t take up much space, so all of them squeezed in without feeling too cramped.


    Instead, Naruto''s group encountered a problem.


    "Naruto-niichan! Where''s the tent you promised?"

 Chapter 155 Gone

    Chapter 155 Gone


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    As the heavy rain approached, Naruto suddenly realized he couldn''t find the tent.


    "You didn''t bring it?" Konohamaru clutched his head, his face full of shock, "Naruto-niichan, what are you doing!"


    "Where''s the tent? Where''s my tent?"


    "What? Your tent?" Naruto casually picked up the approaching Konohamaru and saidzily, "Maybe I remembered it wrong and didn''t bring it at all."


    "Then we''re going to get wet in the rain." Udon said earnestly.


    "Are we really going to get wet in the rain?" Moegi''s face showed concern, "It was still sunny when we were in the vige during the day. If I had known, I would have brought a tent with me when we went out in the morning."


    Konohamaru continued to struggle, while Naruto squinted at the sky and said, "The forest is prone to rain, it''s not something you can always predict."


    "Anyway, let''s find a ce to shelter from the rain first."


    Another p of thunder echoed, and Moegi screamed, squatting on the ground in fear.


    "Moegi, get up! We need to find a ce to shelter from the rain!" Konohamaru, still dangling in the air, kicked his legs and urged her.


    "No! Thunder is so scary!"


    Udon, who was standing nearby, walked up to Moegi and advised, "Moegi, don''t be willful. A rainstorm ising."


    Naruto looked calm and unhurried, scuffing his sandals on the ground before casually putting Konohamaru down. He nced at the three kids, who were inplete disarray, and calmly said, "If you guys keep making a fuss like this, I''ll just clock out early."


    Inside the tent.


    The six Academy kids huddled together in the innermost part, while Ino and Hinata sat silently on the outer edge in tacit understanding, one on the left and one on the right, with their heads lowered. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.


    "Um¡­" Ino spoke first, breaking the silence, "This is kind of like an exam too, isn''t it? "


    "Huh¡­? What?" Hinata, lost in thought, was startled by Ino''s sudden voice and became a little flustered.


    "Sorry, I was distracted just now." Hinata apologized softly.


    "No need to apologize for that, it''s okay." Ino felt a bit embarrassed for scaring her, but couldn''t help her thoughts from wandering.


    ¡®Hinata was probably worried about that guy, which is why she was distracted.¡¯


    ¡®Damn it¡­ Why do I feel a little jealous?¡¯


    ¡®Why does that guy deserve to be thought of like this? Anyway, I''m definitely not worried about him. A scum like that deserves to be caught in the rain. He might as well be struck to death by lightning. Serves him right for always taking advantage of girls and being so shameless.¡¯


    "What do you mean by an exam, Ino?" Hinata asked gently, smiling slightly as she looked up. "Are you referring to the oue of this exercise?"


    "Yeah, I don''t think this is just about leading these kids in an exercise." Ino nced at the dark sky outside and analyzed seriously, "Hinata, you also encountered traps and Academy¡¯s teachers disguised as bandits on the way, right?"


    "Mm, we ran into them, but we got through smoothly." Hinata nodded, pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then lowered her head and said, "It wasn''t too difficult."


    "It''s indeed not difficult, but if we weren''t prepared, we probably would have been thrown into chaos. And that kind of unexpected situation can better demonstrate the leadership ability of a Genin."


    "So, I think this should be linked to our regr Genin assessments, and used as an assessment indicator for promotion to Chunin." Ino said methodically.


    "If that''s the case, arriving on time will count as passing, right?" Hinata asked.


    "Yeah, so once the rain stops, we''ll need to start moving again." Ino said without reservation, "Rain in the forest is sudden and quick, so it won''tst long."


    "Thank you, Ino." Hinata said sincerely.


    "You don''t have to be so polite." Ino smiled, then nced outside the tent, "And you don''t have to worry about that guy, he can get there safely if he follows us."


    "No, I''m not worried about Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed.


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    "But that bastard doesn''t seem to care about the Chunin Exams at all. Knowing him, he probably wouldn''t take it seriously even if he knew about it. He just wants to get it over with and go home to sleep."


    "Naruto-kun wasn''t always like this." Hinata raised her head, her face slightly red. "He used to be really enthusiastic, but I don''t know what happened and he suddenly became like this now."


    "I didn''t pay much attention to it before." Ino frowned, "Anyway, that guy has be particrly annoying since the days before graduation. But Hinata, you should have known that guy for a long time, right?"


    "Mm."


    "Hinata." Ino suddenly called out to her.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Hinata looked at Ino, her eyes reflecting a calm light, but the next moment, herposure was shaken by Ino''s words.


    "Do you think his previous personality was better, or do you prefer his currentzy attitude?" Ino asked casually, though she wasn''t just asking about personality.


    She nced at Hinata and then paused.


    Everyone faces questions like these¡­ whether they like a person for their personality or something else. People change. It''s like when a celebrity''s reputation copses and the halo that was originally surrounding them disappears. When a celebrity bes apletely different person, it''s understandable that people quickly stop being their fans.


    Because when the personality changes, it''s almost like bing another person. Only the physical appearance and memories remain unchanged.


    Hinata stayed silent for a while, then lowered her gaze, curling up and hugging her legs as she muttered vaguely, "I guess¡­"


    The tent was unusually quiet, and the six Academy kids huddled inside, holding their breath as they listened to the conversation between the two older girls at the entrance. Thunder rumbled, and mountain winds rustled through the forest.


    A little girl lowered her voice and whispered, "I think our big sister seems to like that big brother with golden hair."


    "No, it''s the other big sister."


    "But they''re both talking about him. Could it be..."


    "How is that possible? That kind of thing can''t happen. Adults wouldn''t do something like that!"


    With a loud sound, the rain began to pour, making the tent rustle. The six kids gasped in unison, amazed by the sound, their ears perking up to listen intently, finding everything fascinating.


    Hinata''s thoughts were interrupted by the sudden downpour, and she momentarily didn''t know what to say.


    Suddenly, they heard hurried footsteps outside the tent. Hinata and Ino looked outside and saw a blurry figure approaching the tent quickly.


    "What is that?"


    "¡­ It looks like a person."


    Ino was also a little unsure. Although it was still afternoon, the visibility in the forest was already low, and with the approaching rain, the area outside the tent was a grey blur.


    The shadowy figure was soaking wet. Before the person even stopped, a voice called out, "There is no tent, so take her in."


    As the figure bent down and pushed someone into the tent, Ino recognized Moegi by the light. Without time for questions, she and Hinata quickly pulled Moegi inside.


    The tent, which was originally not too crowded, suddenly became a bit cramped with Moegi''s arrival. Naruto, crouching and holding the tent from outside, waspletely soaked.


    "Where are the other two?" Ino asked, referring to Konohamaru and Udon.


    "Naruto-kun, let those twoe over as well," Hinata said.


    "No need." Naruto tly rejected the idea, his blue eyes staring at the still sobbing Moegi, "The two of them wille with me to find a cave to shelter from the rain."


    Moegi flinched when she heard this.


    "How can that be? If they get drenched¡­" Hinata began to express her concern.


    "It can be." Naruto said coldly, which surprised Hinata slightly. She looked up at Naruto, but found that his eyes never left Moegi.


    "Moegi." His eyes were cold and his voice was calm, "It''s useless for a Shinobi to just cry. I''ll take Konohamaru and Udon with me."


    "It doesn''t matter if it rains. I won''t bring them here. They have to clean up the mess for you. Just follow these two sisters. We''ll talk after the exercise."


    Through the tent, Ino looked up at Naruto, who was drenched. In his emotionless eyes, she saw the tent, Moegi, herself, and Hinata reflected.


    After saying that, Naruto left without another word.


    Moegi couldn''t hold back any longer and burst into tears.


    Hinata and Ino exchanged nces before quickly looking away. Hinata suddenly felt that Ino''s question was sharp, sharp enough that she could no longer numb or ignore her true feelings.


    Is it the person or the character that she likes? After that look outside the tent, she was certain that Naruto would never return to the way he was before¡­ The person who was always warm and bright was gone.


    She realized that she couldn''t avoid this question, even if she could slyly give a vague answer, pretending not to understand.


    But when the night grew quiet and there was no one around, those thoughts would creep up to the edge of her bed, mercilessly questioning her, leaving her with no escape.

 Chapter 156 My Home is Closer

    Chapter 156 My Home is Closer


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    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">Inside the crowded tent, the light was bright.


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">Hinata stared out at the pouring rain, lost in thought, while Ino also frowned, feeling a bit uneasy as she listened to the sound of the rain hitting the tent.


    A rustling sound caught Hinata''s attention, and she looked up to see Ino getting up. She was slightly stunned. She didn''t ask Ino where she was nning to go in such a heavy rain. Instead, she turned around and looked at the seven kids inside the tent.


    Hinata tried to make her voice as gentle as possible, smiling as she usually did.


    "Stay here and don''t run around, okay? When the rain stops, we wille back to check if you are well behaved."


    "Big sister, are you two going out?"


    Ino looked at Hinata with some surprise, but didn''t say anything. She forced a smile in response.


    "I suddenly remembered that there are still some things I haven''t done."


    "Right." Hinata added, ¡®There were some things I wanted to verify personally.¡¯


    Maybe now is not the best opportunity, but she doesn''t want Ino to go see Naruto alone. The unease in her heart was growing. Any more unexpected events, and things might develop in a direction she wouldn''t like.


    The tent opened slightly, and the two girls left in the pouring rain.


    Outside a cave not far from the tent.


    With a ssh, a puddle was stomped on, sending water sshing half a meter high.


    "Naruto-niichan, there''s a cave ahead!"


    "Hurry! Get inside!" Naruto felt his underwear was soaked, and his sandals were slowing him down.


    "It''s no good! It''s on a cliff; it''s too high." Udon shouted.


    "What are you afraid of? You''ve got me, haven''t you?" Naruto yelled back.


    "But Naruto-niichan, didn''t Iruka-sensei say that we cannot rely on the power of the leading Genin?" Konohamaru asked as he ran, ncing back.


    "I didn''t hear it at all, so it doesn''t count!" Naruto wiped the rain off his face, "Shinobi can''t be too rigid. Moegi is a special case."


    "Let''s get up there first!"


    After saying that, he grabbed Konohamaru and Udon, one in each hand, and climbed up the cliff. When they entered the cave, the three of them realized that they were soaked to the bone.


    Naruto pulled out some firewood he had bought, and with a sh of Lava Release, the fire ignited with a bang. Konohamaru took off his coat while hopping on one foot.


    Fortunately, it is notte autumn yet, so the temperature around wasn''t too low.


    ¡°Actually, I have a tent.¡±


    As they sat down by the fire, Naruto''s first sentence left Konohamaru and Udon stunned.


    "What?" Konohamaru stared at Naruto in a daze, his lips trembling slightly, "Naruto-niichan, you did this on purpose! Why didn''t you take out the tent if you have one?"


    Udon nodded, echoing the sentiment.


    Naruto looked irritated, "What''s the big deal about getting a little wet? Do you think it''ll melt you?"


    The firelight flickered in Naruto''s eyes as he spokezily, "I may not be the most responsible, but being too responsible doesn''t do you any favors either. I''ve always thought this summer camp-like mission from the Academy is stupid, like some kind of Shinobi ying house."


    "How can you discover any real issues by following a set n? If everything is prepared for you, what''s the point of being a Shinobi? And Moegi¡­"


    "Moegi didn''t do it on purpose. She just acts like that sometimes." Konohamaru exined.


    "I didn¡¯t say anything bad about Moegi. At her age, she is allowed to be a bit willful, but I hope she can learn and grow from this experience." Naruto said.


    "After today, who knows when we''ll see each other again. But since I''m your team leader, even if just for a day, I''ll teach you what I can within that time."


    Konohamaru and Udon lowered their heads as the firelight flickered on their faces.


    "Don''t look so down. I wasn''t nning on bothering with you kids. I just have too much free time." Naruto said.


    "Yes." The two responded.


    "Konohamaru, do you think Moegi will be mad?" Udon poked Konohamaru and asked in a low voice.


    "Who knows? When we get back, she mightin again." Konohamaru sighed, "Let''s wait and see. Hopefully, Moegi won''t lose her temper again."


    Naruto ced his clothes near the fire to dry, ncing at the whispering Konohamaru and Udon before turning back to the zing mes.


    He couldn''t help but rolled his eyes at this moment, ¡®No wonder Tsunade had insisted on canceling my break just to ensure I joined these Konoha¡¯s young students on their summer camp. Even the team assignments were meticulously nned. She really spared no effort in stacking connections for me.¡¯


    But Naruto didn¡¯t really want these bonds. Besides roughing up Konohamaru a bit, he hadn¡¯t had much interaction with these heirs of prominent ns.


    But obviously Tsunade didn''t think so. She didn''t know that he had already released Kyubi and is no longer a Jinchuriki.


    Even if the next Hokage is not from Hiruzen''s lineage, they will not be able to do anything to him.


    But Naruto wasn''t clueless either. Tsunade¡¯s intentions were obvious, practically tant favoritism. Whether it was through temporary assignments or this summer camp, she was continuously stacking social connections on him, trying to pile the entire legacy left by Sandaime onto Naruto.


    The method was crude, but it was undoubtedly effective. Naruto couldn¡¯t let Tsunade¡¯s goodwill go to waste.


    The Konoha 12 are basically the backbone of Konoha, except for Sasuke.


    In addition, he has now established good rtions with the descendants of the Sarutobi n, the Kazematsuri n, and the Ise n. No matter what the situation will be in the future, Uzumaki Naruto''s position in Konoha will be unshakable.


    Moreover, Tsunade wasn¡¯t aware of any hidden conspiracies in the Shinobi World. She was just standing from the perspective of a Hokage and trying to channel resources towards him as much as possible him.


    Although Naruto was somewhat reluctant, he still put some effort into helping the kids. Although his methods are a bit extreme, it was just to get the job done. Even if Moegi ended up resenting him, it didn¡¯t matter.


    It wasn''t maniption, it''s just that the routine has been used to win people''s hearts since ancient times and it has always worked.


    For now, instead of thinking about all that mess, he needed to think about how to report back to his hot-tempered blonde superior. After all, the results weren¡¯t ster, but they were still eptable.


    Just as he was thinking about his excuse, Konohamaru''s sudden exmation interrupted his thoughts.


    "Naruto-niichan, those two sisters areing through the rain!"


    "Huh?"


    Naruto, who had been sitting shirtless, immediately stood up and quickly walked to the edge of the cave on the cliff. Looking down, he saw two figures making their way toward the firelight on the cliff.


    "What are they doing?" Naruto hurriedly grabbed his half-dried clothes by the fire and put them on, then immediately jumped down the cliff.


    The heavy rain did notst long, and the three teams reached the mountaintop at the same time,pleting their training mission.


    After giving a head-ups to Iruka, Naruto, who was soaked all over, walked towards the two women who were also drenched in the rain. With a pair of dead fish eyes on his face, he said helplessly, "Whatever you need to say, let''s talkter. Let¡¯s go, my home is closer."

 Chapter 157 I’m Too Shy

    Chapter 157 I¡¯m Too Shy


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    The situation was turning a bit awkward, totally different from what they had imagined.


    Ino turned her head away, while Hinata looked down at her shoes.


    "Hmph!" Ino turned her head with a huff.


    Naruto wasn''t too worried about Ino objecting, after all, she even had a key to his ce. As for Hinata, he didn''t force her, but no matter what, she had braved the rain out of concern for him.


    If she was too shy, he could always offer some medicine to ward off the cold.


    Fortunately, the rain didn''tst long, otherwise, before they even reached the mountain top, Ino and Hinata would have beenpletely soaked. Right now, the most important thing was to take a warm bath, drive away the chill, and wrap themselves in a nket.


    Only then would Naruto''s guilt ease a bit.


    "This ce is not far from the vige. If we rush back now, mine is indeed the closest ce." Naruto said with a rare look of concern, "The Hyuga n''spound and Yamanaka Flower Shop are too far from here."


    "Besides, I have everything you need, and also, there are two of you and three of us, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about. You¡¯re not going to let shyness make you catch a cold just to tough it out and go home, are you?"


    "Sweet talker! Hinata, let''s go. Don''t believe this foot fetishist!!" Ino grabbed Hinataand was about to leave.


    Hearing this, Naruto''s face darkened and he immediately grabbed Ino.


    "Let me go." Ino¡¯s body trembled, and without realizing it, her voice carried a hint of vulnerability.


    "Not this time."


    Naruto sighed in his heart. He really wanted to be a good guy, but reality always seemed to force his hand. He exhaled and stared at Ino''s face for a while.


    "Ino, you wouldn¡¯t want to¡­"


    Before he could finish, Ino was already upset, ¡®Damn it! He had too much leverage over me. I had no choice but to give in!¡¯


    "Don''t say another word!" Ino was a little overwhelmed. She let go of Hinata, covered her head, and gritted her teeth in frustration.


    Seeing that his goal was achieved, Naruto couldn''t help but grin, and then, he turned to look at Hinata.


    "Hinata, what about you?"


    "I¡­" Hinata hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded in agreement.


    This surprised Naruto a little. Ino also nced at Hinata, her eyes showing a mix of surprise and jealousy.


    ¡­


    With a tter, the apartment door lock turned.


    Kurama, sprawledzily on the sofa, groggily raised his head, squinting like a middle-aged man with a hangover as he peered outside. Then, he saw the familiar blonde hair.


    There were also two girls with familiar faces, both of whom he had seen before.


    Kurama¡¯s heart sank and he cursed in his mind, "That brat isn¡¯t seriously nning to make me do backflips, is he? And with two at once? What a beast! He¡¯s getting too wild!"


    Thankfully, Naruto paid no attention to Kurama lying around and headed straight into the bathroom to run some hot water.


    Hinata, who was standing outside the door, blushed deeply. She bowed slightly at the entrance and closed her eyes, muttering a soft ¡®excuse me¡¯ before stepping inside. But when she looked up, she saw that Ino was alreadyfortably changing her shoes at the entrance.


    The moment their eyes met, the atmosphere became a little awkward.


    Hinata lowered her head, walked into the entrance, and forced a smile. She lowered her head and silently changed her shoes. The wet clothes stuck to her body, but not bing see-through.


    Ino¡¯s feet were long, slender, and slightly delicate, with a fair, pinkish hue. As they stepped steadily onto the floor, they were the kind of feet that could almost be considered picture-perfect. Hinata¡¯s feet, on the other hand, were more like jade, small and plump, with a texture as smooth as mutton-fat jade.


    The moment the two of them stepped onto the floor barefoot, Naruto had just finished adjusting the water temperature and walked out. When he saw this breathtaking sight, he couldn''t take his eyes off it.


    "Ah!" Hinata, feeling shy, instinctively stepped back behind Ino.


    Naruto finally came back to his senses and couldn''t help but chuckled awkwardly. He cleared his throat and said, "Uh, sorry, the floor isn¡¯t cleaned properly. My bad."


    "Tsk!" Ino looked at him with contempt and said sarcastically, "Is it the floor that¡¯s not clean, or is it your dirty mind?"


    "Die, you foot fetishist!"


    Naruto: ¡°¡­¡±


    "Go take a bath first. It''s best if you bathe together since you''re both girls. If you wait any longer, one of you is bound to catch a cold."


    "Mind your own business!" Ino pulled Hinata towards the bathroom, "You¡¯d better stay away from the bathroom, you pervert. Don''t eavesdrop, and don''t imagine dirty things in your mind."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t." Naruto respondedzily, "I have no interest in doing anything like that."


    Hinata, who was being dragged away, blushed furiously, ¡®Listening to them take a bath? That kind of thing... Uhhh!¡¯ It''s not that she hated the idea, but she had no concept of such things.


    Or rather, she couldn''t even imagine Naruto¡­


    "Hey!" Ino suddenly turned around before entering the bathroom and shouted at Naruto, "What about you?"


    "What about me?"


    "You''re soaked too. If you don''t take a bath, you''ll catch a cold." Ino said with a frown.


    "So, can I join you girls?"


    "Go to hell!"


    "I''ll just change into some dry clothes." Naruto waved his hand dismissively and turned to walk towards the room.


    Kurama, who is lying motionless on its little sofa, watched the situation unfold and felt increasingly uneasy. He had already prepared a few excuses to refuse Naruto''s request for backflips.


    Maybe he can say that his legs are hurting, or he¡¯s in a bad mood today, or some other reason that were impossible to argue with.


    In the bathroom, Ino was sorting the wet clothes and tossing them into the washing machine, while setting aside some delicate items that needed to be hand-washed. There¡¯s heater in the bathroom, so it wasn¡¯t cold at all.


    Just as she was about to hop into the bathtub after a quick shower, she noticed Hinata standing there, drenched and unmoving.


    "What''s wrong, Hinata?" Ino walked up to Hinata and reached out to touch her forehead, "Are you feeling unwell?"


    "Ah, no." Hinata''s face was flushed with embarrassment. She nced at Ino nervously, and said, "I feel fine."


    "Huh?" Ino looked at Hinata curiously, "Your clothes are soaked through. If you don''t change out of them, you''ll catch a cold."


    "I-I¡­" Hinata looked embarrassed and said in a low voice, "I''m too shy."


    "What''s there to be shy about? Aren''t we both girls?" Ino smiled, "See? I don''t feel embarrassed at all. Trust me, just change out of them, or you''ll get sick."


    Hearing this, Hinata looked at Ino and nodded.


    Hinata imitated Ino''s actions, tossing her outer clothes into the washing machine and setting aside the delicate items. She walked to the shower head somewhat embarrassedly and sat on the small stool with her eyes half closed.


    The mist-filled bathroom had two small stools and one showerhead. Ino and Hinata took turnsthering up with shampoo and conditioner, washing their hair.


    After washing their hair, they carefullythered their bodies with shower gel, rinsed off, and then got into the bath. The tub wasrge enough to amodate both of them.


    It took over half an hour just for them to wash their hair and bodies, during which they chatted about various girly topics.


    When Ino''s curious gaze fell on a certain part of Hinata''s body, Hinata instinctively crossed her arms and her face flushed bright red.

 Chapter 158 So, Everything Has An Answer

    Chapter 158 So, Everything Has An Answer


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    With a ssh, Ino leaned back against the edge of the tub, while Hinata slowly slid into the water beside her, the clear water rippling slightly. Ino, who was staring at the ceiling of the bathroom, suddenly sighed and said, "Life really is like a race. Some people run fast, others run slow."


    Hinata blushed all the way to her ears when she heard that.


    As she looked at Ino, she suddenly felt a bit envious of her. And before she knew it, she had actually said it out loud.


    "You''re envious of me?" Ino raised her head, assessing herself before looking at Hinata, "What do I have that you could be envious of?"


    identally letting her thoughts slip out like that was embarrassing enough, so now, Hinata just wanted to drown herself in the bathtub, her face so red that blood seemed to drip out.


    But after thinking it over, she realized there was no point in leaving her sentence unfinished.


    So, relying on the courage that had been slowly umting since who knows when, Hinata spoke, her voice small and stuttering from the moment she opened her mouth.


    "I envy you for being liked by others."


    "There are a lot of people who like me." Ino''s face remained calm when she heard that. She continued to lean back on the edge of the bathtub with her head tilted back, "Maybe it''s because I don''t make things difficult for others."


    "That''s what we call knowing how to read the atmosphere and say the right thing at the right time."


    Inopletely rxed, her body soaking in the warm water, as if she were floating on the ocean. She half-closed her eyes, staring at the ceiling light that emitted a soft yellow glow.


    "Everyone has their own personality, some are round, some are t, some are square, but it seems like I don''t have one."


    Hinata blinked, wondering if Ino had misunderstood her. That wasn¡¯t what she meant at all. But seeing that Ino started speaking, Hinata could only listen quietly.


    With a ssh, Ino¡¯s pale arm stirred the warm water in the tub, and she continued speaking.


    "Not having a personality isn''t necessarily a good thing. Sure, it¡¯s easy to getpliments like ''thoughtful'' and ''considerate¡¯, but it¡¯s also easy to feel stifled. It¡¯s like anything goes, and nothing really matters."


    "I have this idea that someone will like me no matter what in the future. As long as I show my considerate side, I will be praised countless times."


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Hinata whispered, "I actually envy you for that, Ino. No matter what I do, I can''t seem to get my father''s approval."


    "Of course it''s not good." Ino turned to look at Hinata, half of her body emerging from the water as she leaned against the edge of the tub. She then said with a smile, "It''s easy to lose yourself. Always considering the other person¡¯s feelings, standing in their shoes, and even when I want to be a little selfish sometimes, it feels too troublesome."


    "It¡¯s like there¡¯s a voice constantly telling me to be well-behaved, considerate, and understanding. But sometimes, I just want to cry. However, I couldn''t find a corner to cry, so I just keep it all inside."


    ¡°I always thought that one day, someone brighter than me would stand in front of me and ask if I ever feel sad, if I ever want to cry, or if I ever want to have a birthday that belongs only to me.¡±


    When she was talking about the second half, Ino suddenly choked up and she buried her head in the bathtub.


    When Hinata looked at her like this, she suddenly felt sad. She didn''t know whether she should feel more sorry for Ino or for herself. She was too afraid to hug someone else, so she hugged herself, leaning against the edge of the tub.


    Slowly sinking.


    She suddenly realized that Ino had understood the meaning behind her words right from the start.


    It can be said that Ino was too sly¡­ She knew she was loved, yet she still said those things.


    Hinata had been too slow to catch on. Those words, almost like confessions, had gradually turned from dull des into real knives. They were allid out in front of her, leaving her no way to avoid them.


    Now Hinata understood everything, but today was the day she had truly be friends with Ino, and yet it seemed they were heading toward a confrontation that wasn''t really a confrontation.


    It''s too cruel, too tormenting, but this was the one thing Hinata didn''t want to give up on.


    The desire to understand her own feelings was like an obsession lingering in her heart, something she wanted to do even with her timid nature. She wanted to figure out whether Naruto was still that bright light in her heart.


    But the one being illuminated now was no longer her, it was Ino.


    Yet... Naruto had cared for her in the past, too. She hadn¡¯t forgotten those memories. Fragmented moments surfaced in her mind one by one, and Hinata began to feel like she was waking up.


    ¡®I didn''t dislike leaning on his back, and I didn''t dislike holding his hand. My heart had always raced. It had nothing to do with personality. This was just love.¡¯


    ¡®Whether in the past or now.¡¯


    The wind was warm, the hand of the person she loved was warm, and her heart pounded every time they touched, however briefly. Her body didn¡¯t lie.


    The bathroom was thick with steam, the soft yellow light casting hazy outlines of the two girls.


    With a ssh, Hinata suddenly stood up and looked at Ino, then said, "It doesn''t matter whether one liked the old personality or the current one. What matters is that one still don''t dislike it now. That¡¯s what¡¯s important."


    Ino looked at her nkly, somewhat confused.


    However, after she slowly came back to her senses, she realized...


    ¡®So she had been thinking about what happened in the tent, thinking about what happened just now, until she came up with a suitable answer?¡¯


    ¡­


    Outside the bathroom.


    Water was boiling in the kitchen, and soup was simmering in the pot. The balcony window was wide open, and Kurama had retreated to a corner, avoiding any potential surprise attacks from the humans.


    After changing his clothes and being busy for a long time, Narutoy on the sofa, yawning, his eyelids heavy.


    He didn''t expect the two women to chase him out back then. The sudden ident caught Naruto off guard. At this moment, all he wanted was to make sure they didn¡¯t catch a cold, without feeling guilty or uneasy about it.


    ¡®In a blink of an eye, it is almostte autumn, then winter with snow, and then the New Year festival.¡¯


    ¡®Time really did fly by, seemingly waiting for no one.¡¯


    Half-awake, Naruto suddenly heard the sound of a door opening, but because Ino and Hinata took too long to take a bath, he had temporarily forgotten about them.


    Through a sleepy haze, he cracked his eyes open and saw the two girls whispering and pointing at him. He was momentarily stunned. It took him a few moments to remember what had happened, and then he suddenly sat up.


    Naruto shot up from the sofa like a corpseing back to life, startling both girls.


    "Are you trying to give me a heart attack!" Ino eximed, clutching her chest.


    "I just woke up and saw you two plotting something against me¡­ You guys are really..." Naruto''s words were cut off as Ino lunged at him and pped a hand over his mouth.


    "Don¡¯t say anything!"


    "¡­ I can''t breathe! Let go!"


    "Then don''t say anything weird!" Ino warned, "Especially about me."


    "I''m not that kind of person," he replied, "But what were you talking about in the bathroom? Why did it take so long?"


    Hearing this, Hinata''s face immediately turned red.

 Chapter 159 You’re The Best, Kurama

    Chapter 159 You¡¯re The Best, Kurama


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    "Nothing." Ino quickly turned her head away, her face flushed red.


    ¡°Oh~!¡±


    Naruto showed a teddy bear-like expression that said, ¡®I understand¡¯, and then quickly took a few steps back. Ino, clearly flustered, straightened up in an instant, her voice filled with shame and anger.


    "What do you mean, ''oh''? You pervert! Jerk! Foot fetishist! Scumbag!"


    "Thanks for thepliment."


    "That wasn¡¯t apliment! You!!" Ino was at her wit''s end. She pinched her bathrobe with one hand and pointed at Naruto with the other, her finger trembling slightly with anger.


    Naruto, sensing her frustration, smiled but didn''t push further. He turned and walked into the kitchen, his voice trailing behind him.


    "Take a seat for now. I¡¯ve made some hot soup to ward off the cold. By the time you finish it, your clothes should be dry."


    Ino and Hinata exchanged nces before silently looking away.


    Neither of them is the kind of person who is willing to hurt others, but they are also resilient. If there is a thorn in their heart, they are willing to let it grow slowly, but when they think the time is right, they will remove it without hesitation.


    During the long time they spent in the bathroom, Ino and Hinata had found a vague answer to their inner questions. However, that answer only existed in their minds and had no impact on the real world.


    Naruto had no idea what they had discussed, and assumed it was just typical girl talk. Even if he knew, he wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it. After all, people''s thoughts are numerous and can change at any time.


    All he needed to do was continue living his life as he always had. No expectations meant no disappointments. It''s best not to ce too much hope in others.


    ¡­


    At the dining table.


    "You''ll feel better if you drink some soup." Narutodled soup into two bowls, sliding them in front of Ino and Hinata, who were seated a little apart.


    The three of them formed a long, narrow triangle at the table. The clock on the wall ticked steadily, and thin wisps of steam began to rise from the table.


    He btedly raised his head and looked at the two women. Through the rising steam, he saw their somewhat stiff expressions, like the tired faces of two friends who weren''t very close, forced to drop their facades after a long, loud day.


    Outside on the balcony, the sky was darkening.


    The empty living room was quieter than it had ever been. The apartment door was closed tightly, sealing out the hustle and bustle of Konoha''s streets, the distant sounds barely audible.


    Naruto nced at the three bowls of hot soup on the table, and tapped the table lightly. He then spoke half-jokingly as he ignored the tense atmosphere, "If anyone doesn¡¯t drink their soup, for the sake of your health, you¡¯ll have to stay here overnight for observation."


    The silence was so intense you could hear a pin drop. Hinata kept her head down, not moving at all. But Naruto was certain both girls had heard him clearly.


    Finally, Ino looked at him, her eyes misty and her voice frighteningly soft.


    "You..."


    With a hoarse voice as if crying, her expression waspletely different from the confident, outgoing Ino Naruto usually knew.


    Naruto was momentarily stunned, but he did not avoid her gaze. He raised his eyes and looked at Ino seriously. Although he had no idea what was bothering Ino, he knew that hesitating now would be a mistake.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I¡¯ve been struggling with something¡­" Ino''s spirit seemed to wane, and tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.


    For the first time, Naruto saw an expressionpletely different from usual on Ino''s face. Her eyes were watery, filled with a mix of anguish and pleading.


    It seemed that she could no longer tolerate Naruto''s feigned ignorance. Although there wasn¡¯t an immediate need to rify everything now, she still wanted to know how Naruto felt about her.


    "I¡­"


    Just as Ino was about to speak, Hinata suddenly reached for the hot soup and began drinking it in silence, one spoonful at a time.


    She didn''t say a word, just focused on finishing the soup, as if she werepleting a task, racing against time.


    Seeing this, Ino¡¯s words were caught in her throat. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. Hinata, having finished her soup, stood up with her head lowered and spoke softly, "Sorry, Naruto-kun, Ino, I need to go back."


    With that said, Hinata quickly wrapped her bathrobe around herself and hurried into the bathroom. Only Ino and Naruto were left sitting at the dining table. After a moment, Ino also stood up abruptly, and muttered quietly, "I''m going back too."


    Then, she went into the bathroom to retrieve her dried clothes. By the time she came inside, Hinata had already changed and was heading out, bowing slightly to Naruto before rushing out the door, almost as if she were fleeing.


    Naruto covered his face and took a deep breath.


    He suddenly realized that something extraordinary must have happened between the two girls, but now, it seemed pointless to ask about it.


    Not long after, Ino also came out.


    She didn''t say goodbye, she just gave Naruto a deep look, let a single tear fall, pressed her lips together, and left.


    The living room was now eerily quiet, with Naruto staring at a pot of hot soup. After a moment of silence, Kurama peeked his head out from the direction of the balcony, locking eyes with Naruto¡¯s deep blue eyes.


    "Hey, kid, where did your two owners go?" Kurama''sment was as tactless as ever.


    "They left." Naruto responded calmly.


    He wasn¡¯t angry. Or rather, there was nothing to be angry about. Naruto had not lost anything in the current situation. No matter what Ino and Hinata thought, it would not affect him.


    Things would be as they were meant to be¡­ There was no need for him to make any promises or sacrifices at this age. Whether he continued ying dumb or genuinely didn¡¯t care is fine.


    In short, do nothing and you won¡¯t go wrong.


    "They left? Were they angry? Then what about my future drinks?" Kurama, simple and straightforward, didn¡¯t care about human emotions. He only cares about his booze.


    "Well, there won''t be any booze to drink in the future." Naruto lowered his head to drink the soup, and after a few sips, he looked at Kurama standing by the balcony door and called out, "Hey, Kurama,e drink some soup. You might want to finish it before we can¡¯t afford it anymore."


    But before he could finish his words, Naruto saw Kurama silently retreat back to the balcony, closing the sliding door behind him without a word and starting to practice backflips.


    Seeing this, Naruto stroked his chin and stopped drinking the soup. He simply stood up and walked over to the balcony, squatting next to Kurama to watch his backflips from every angle.


    After all, while he could always win back the girlster, seeing Kurama attempt backflips was a once-in-a-lifetime event, possibly not to be repeated for hundreds of years.


    "What are you doing?" Kurama stopped his backflip and asked seriously.


    "Watching you do backflips." Naruto squatted on the ground and watched intently, "I wish I could record it, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t have a camera."


    "Hmph!" Kurama scoffed and nced at Naruto with disdain, "What do you know? You think I¡¯m just doing this for fun? This is all part of my grand n to dominate you pathetic humans and make you offer up more booze!"


    "Oh, that makes sense! You¡¯re the best, Kurama, always thinking on another level." Naruto nodded approvingly.


    "Then why are you just standing there?" Kurama nced at Naruto, "Come practice with me."


    Hearing this, Naruto actually stroked his chin and thought for a while. After a moment, he stood up, left a word ¡®stupid dog¡¯ and returned to the living room.

 Chapter 160 Isn’t This a Kind of…

    Chapter 160 Isn¡¯t This a Kind of¡­


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    The next day.


    As expected, Tsunade sent someone to find Naruto, not for anything else, but for his mission report on the exercise at the Academy.


    "Sloppy! Extremely sloppy!"


    "Uzumaki Naruto, do you even want to take a look at what you wrote?"


    With a loud p, Tsunade threw a hastily scribbled mission report onto her desk, ring at Naruto, who showed innocent look.


    "I didn''t give you any missions, and you begged for them. Now that I''ve assigned you one, this is the attitude you show? Uzumaki Naruto! What do you want to do? Are you looking to get yourself killed, brat?"


    "I''ve already done my best toplete the mission." Naruto spread his hands and began to argue, "Tsunade-sama, you should be well aware of it, The report handed over by Moegi mentioned my guidance to her."


    Hearing this, Tsunade Tsunade calmed down a bit, patiently extracting a document from the towering pile of paperwork on her desk.


    "Guidance?"


    "You call that guidance?"


    Tsunade''s face looked as though she''d just bitten into a sour plum. She wanted tosh out but was helpless. However, Moegi''s mission report did mention Naruto''s guidance.


    But it could only barely be considered guidance, as it mostly involved punishing Konohamaru and Udon to teach Moegi a lesson. The method was crude, but the effect was quite remarkable.


    After grinding her teeth for a while, Tsunade pulled out Konohamaru and Udon''s mission reports. After ncing at it and seeing the part about Moegi''s apology, the tight furrow between her brows finally rxed.


    "What works is guidance, isn''t it?" Naruto said nonchntly.


    Hearing this, Tsunade set down the files in her hand and stacked Konohamaru and his team''s mission reports with Naruto''s. She stared at Naruto withplicated eyes and said with her red lips slightly parted, "If you have time, you should spend more time with the younger generations."


    "It''s rare to hear such words from your mouth, Tsunade-sama."


    "Huh?" Tsunade''s face immediately darkened and she clenched her fist, "Who do you think I am doing this for? Do you think I''m doing all of this for my benefit? Say one more word, and you''ll be crawling out of here today."


    Hearing this, Naruto immediately fell silent, like a mouse before a cat.


    Since taking up the position of the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade had be increasingly irritable. Perhaps it was due to the overwhelming tasks and mess left by Sandaime that she had to deal with right after taking office. If it were someone else, they wouldn''t be able to keep theirposure either.


    After three minutes of silence, Tsunade finally grew impatient. Leaning on her desk with her head propped up, she looked at Naruto and said with disgust, "Since you''re not willing to build a rtionship with Konohamaru and the others, then just forget it. There''s still a backlog of missions in the vige. You, Hyuga Neji, and Tenten can goplete the mission in the Land of Birds."


    "What about Lee?"


    "He and Guy have another mission." Tsunade said perfunctorily.


    "But I still have one day off." Naruto insisted, unwilling to give up on a day of rxation.


    At the desk, Tsunade''s eyebrows twitched slightly, and a smile suddenly appeared on her face. She beckoned Naruto over with a wave of her hand.


    "Hmm?" Naruto, a bit puzzled, walked over, "What is it?"


    "Ah!!!"


    A scream rang out as Naruto was flung out of the office with a loud crash. Along with him, a neatly written mission request form flew out as well.


    "The Cursed Warrior of the Land of Birds?"


    Walking down the street, Naruto squinted as he flipped the mission request form back and forth, finally sensing something unusual.


    ¡®Although the Land of Birds is just a small country, but investigating the assassination of Daimyo by the Cursed Warrior? it''s clear that this is not simple. Isn¡¯t this basically meddling in another country''s internal affairs?¡¯


    ¡®If it wasn''t for profit, who would have the time to assassinate a daimyo?¡¯


    The dense sunlight filtered through the tree leaves, casting shadows behind Naruto¡¯s heels. Naruto instinctively turned his head when he noticed someone was following him.


    "Hmm? Why are you here?"


    "Have things between us gotten so cold that you don''t even call my name anymore?" Sakura asked softly, holding a lunchbox.


    On the bustling street, Sakura''s eyes were filled with a gentle smile. Her pink hair fluttered in the autumn breeze, and her pale arms naturally hung in front of her chest.


    The passersby around them seemed to fade away, and the noisy sounds of the street gradually diminished.


    If Sakura''s heart was still the normal shade of pink, even if Naruto was in love, he would still find this scene extremely pleasing to the eye.


    But the thought of Sakura silently appearing behind him sent a shiver down his spine, ¡®A yandere Sakura was far too terrifying. This couldn''t go on.¡¯


    Taking a deep breath, he decided to clear things up right here and now.


    "Can you act normal?"


    "I''m acting normal, aren''t I? Don''t you like it?" Sakura leaned forward slightly and said with a smile, "Or do you think I''m not really Sakura?"


    "Whether you are or not doesn''t matter. I''m not some omnipotent being, I can''t control that kind of thing." Naruto sighed, "Whether it''s the original Sakura or you, it''s not up to me to decide what happens."


    "How things turn out, or how you continue to exist, is up to you. I can¡¯t intervene, nor do I have any interest in doing so."


    "I still stand by what I said, I don''t want to see anything, I don''t want to know anything."


    Hearing this, Sakura didn¡¯t get upset and there was still a smile in her eyes.


    "Don''t be so sure. There''s always something about me that will interest you."


    "Like what?" He said calmly, "Let me be clear first, I have no interest in your body, so don¡¯t try using that weak excuse to shut me up."


    Sakura was slightly stunned and stood there thinking for a while.


    "For example, the body standing before you is still Sakura, but inside, it¡¯s someone else. And I¡¯m using her body to tell you, ¡®Naruto-kun, you can use this body however you like. I¡¯d be very happy¡¯. Wouldn¡¯t you find that exciting?"


    Naruto: "¡­Damn it, have you joined some kind of cult?"


    "Nope. I just want to win your favor." Sakura retracted her body from leaning forward, her eyes smiling, "I want you to remember me."


    "I don''t care at all. Why are you so insistent on making me remember you?" Naruto said in exasperation, "Why don''t you just confess to someone else?"


    "But that would be meaningless." Sakura said.


    "Meaningless?" Naruto frowned, clearly confused.


    "Naruto, don''t you think this is more interesting?" Sakura asked, wiggling her fingers yfully, "Naruto-kun has always liked Sakura, right?"


    "Not that much, we¡¯re just teammates."


    "That makes it even more interesting."


    "????"


    "Don''t you think so, Naruto-kun?" Sakura said with a chuckle, "When the dayes that I disappear, she will find that her body has be Naruto-kun''s, yet you were justpanions filled with bonds."


    Naruto looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, "I really want to give you a smack."


    "That¡¯s okay." The smile in Sakura¡¯s eyes deepened, "I¡¯d like that too."

 Chapter 161 A Man Resembling Shinpachi

    Chapter 161 A Man Resembling Shinpachi


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    "Naruto-kun, did your heart skip a beat just now?"


    "Not at all, I was actually a bit scared." Naruto took a step back and said, "Can you act normal? You''re a little scary like this."


    "If I act normal, would you like me more because I resemble her?"


    "No."


    Naruto was speechless, thinking to himself, ¡®What kind of absurd logic is that?¡¯


    "Are you going to abandon me?"


    "We''re not even in a rtionship."


    "Isn''t just the body enough? Is the mind really that important?" Sakura said weakly.


    "This has nothing to do with that, you don''t need to do this." Naruto said.


    "I can ept *****."


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Talking with this Sakura was exhausting, so Naruto decided it was time to make an exit.


    "I feel like you''re toying with me, Sakura." Naruto said with a bit of helplessness, "I still have a mission toplete, so I need to go now."


    "Take this." Sakura handed over the lunch box.


    Naruto didn''t take it, instead, he frowned and stared at the lunch box, "You definitely poisoned itst time, didn''t you?"


    "There¡¯s no poison this time." She said with a smile.


    Naruto clicked his tongue and stared at Sakura with a dark gaze, "There''s definitely something weird mixed in there, right?"


    Sakura smiled but didn''t say anything.


    After finally shaking off the strange Sakura, Naruto went home, tidied up briefly, and as usual, did not take Kurama with him.


    This mission wasn''t suitable for bringing Kurama along, not because Kurama¡¯s appearance would cause trouble, but because the Land of Birds was too small. Kurama could cause a national-level disaster by just doing something minor.


    Based on the principle of not causing trouble for himself, he left Kurama at home.


    Before leaving, Naruto grabbed the doorknob and spoke seriously to Kurama, who was loungingzily in the living room.


    "Kurama, I''m off to work to pay off debts. Be sure to practice your backflips at home. If I don''t make it back, they''ll probably adopt you."


    Upon hearing this, Kurama, who was sprawled out on the sofa, poked its head out and looked towards the door, asking, "Really? Then that means I''ll have endless booze?"


    "Of course it''s true. Considering how much they miss me, they''ll definitely treat you well."


    Kurama smiled and said, "Brat, you''d better die outside. I might actually acknowledge your death."


    "I''ll do my best."


    With that, the door closed with a bang, and the sound of footsteps gradually faded away. The living room returned to its quiet state.


    Kurama smile slowly disappeared as he shrank back into the sofa. In the dim living room, with the curtains tightly drawn, he stared nkly at the ceiling.


    Suddenly, he jumped off the sofa, stood up, and walked to the balcony to pull open the curtains.


    The soft autumn sunlight flooded the living room, making Kurama squint his eyes. He then entered Naruto''s room and began rummaging through his things.


    From the pile of ¡®Icha Icha¡¯ books, Kurama carefully found and extracted arge photo that Naruto used when he registered as a Shinobi. Afterward, he cautiously brought it out of the room.


    Kurama lit three sticks of incense, skillfully blew on them, and the tips burned bright red.


    "Rest in peace, kid."


    After muttering this, Kurama solemnly ced the three sticks of incense in front of a photo frame with Naruto''srge photo. What he foundcking was that the photo wasn''t in ck and white.


    Meanwhile, Naruto had already met up with Tenten and Neji.


    Even though luck hadn''t been on his side yesterday or today, Naruto still looked like his usual self, as if nothing could weigh on his mind.


    If something can''t be changed at the moment, don''t dwell on it too much.


    First, take care of the present matters, then return to handle the leftover issues when there''s free time. Most of the time, many problems will be resolved smoothly this way.


    Human thoughts areplex, let alone a young girl''s feelings.


    Expressing love shouldn''t be done from a high position, nor from a lowly one, it should be done on equal footing. The deeper the love in one''s heart, the calmer one should appear on the surface.


    Otherwise, what often bursts out isn''t love, but merely a momentary impulse.


    Confessing love doesn''t require fanfare, nor should it be hidden in a corner away from everyone. It should beid out in the open, unafraid of being discovered by anyone.


    On the way.


    Naruto voiced his doubts, "This client doesn''t seem very smart. Is this really reliable?"


    "Ah!" The person''s pupils widened slightly, and he was identally tripped by a stone on the road and fell heavily to the ground.


    ¡°Hiss~!¡±


    "Chishima, are you okay?" Tenten stopped walking and turned back, looking at the fallen person with concern.


    "I''m fine." The person named Chishima quickly lifted his head and forced a smile, even though blood was clearly flowing from his forehead.


    "So weak."


    Naruto, standing aside with his arms crossed, looked at the sses-wearing Chishima, who looked a lot like Shinpachi, and mercilessly mocked him.


    "Sorry."


    Chishima apologized in fear. At this time, there was blood on his face.


    Seeing this, Naruto thought to himself, ¡®He had the face of Shinpachi, but not Shinpachi''s sarcastic soul.¡¯


    "I know the mission reward isn''t enough, but I don''t have any more money!"


    "Uh¡­ we didn''t talk about the issue of remuneration." Tenten awkwardly tried to defuse the situation.


    "This little money is going to make it hard for us." Naruto added fuel to the fire.


    "I''m sorry!! I''m so sorry!" Chishima was almost ready to bow his head in apology.


    "Naruto, stop scaring him!" Tenten red at Naruto, who whistled and walked away toward Neji.


    "I''m sorry!" Chishima knelt on the ground, too afraid to raise his head.


    "It''s okay, that''s just how he is, he was only joking." Tenten, feeling a bit of a headache, handed Chishima a towel and forced a smile tofort him


    "Since Konoha has epted the mission, we''ll definitely do our best."


    "Thank you, thank you so much!" Chishima looked extremely grateful.


    Meanwhile¡­


    "Neji!"


    Naruto called out to Neji, who noticeably froze for a moment when he turned around. It seemed that he recalled some unpleasant memories, and his expression immediately turned sour.


    He remembered that thest time Naruto called him like that, they ended up tying up the client like a dumpling.


    As luck would have it, he teamed up with thiswless temporary worker again. Looking at the smiling face of thewless maniac, Neji''s heart suddenly trembled.


    ¡®This guy¡­¡¯


    "Something seems off." Naruto patted Neji''s shoulder and said with a smacking mouth.


    "What''s off?" Neji asked patiently.


    "Everything''s off." Naruto nced at the Shinpachi-lookalike, Chishima, and said, "That guy mentioned in the mission request that the Cursed Warrior assassinated the former Daimyo, and now we need to protect the new Daimyo."


    "Yeah, so what''s the issue?"


    "If Cursed Warrior could really kill, the current Daimyo would be dead by now. How could he still be alive and kicking?"


    Hearing this, Neji finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Of course, Cursed Warrior doesn''t exist. It''s just a trick yed by someone with ulterior motives."


    "In that case¡­" Naruto rubbed his chin and looked at Neji, "Can we create a real one?"

 Chapter 162 The Daimyo is a Girl

    Chapter 162 The Daimyo is a Girl


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    "Don''t mess around." Neji said with a frown.


    "I won''t, of course not!" Naruto grinned sheepishly, "I''m just fulfilling my duty as a team member by making some suggestions about the feasibility of the mission."


    "Feasibility?" Neji couldn''t help but asked, "Ghosts don''t exist."


    Ding!


    A familiar mechanical sound echoed, and a selection panel appeared. Naruto blinked, maintaining hisposed expression.


    [Option 1: Take control of the Land of Birds. Reward: Kato Dan''s obsession, Spirit Transformation Technique]


    [Option 2: Resolve the chaos in the Land of Birds. Reward: Shinigami¡¯s Gaze, Impure World Reincarnation (No Sacrifice Version)]


    Naruto said faintly as he nced at Neji, ¡°Now they can exist.¡±


    "What?" Neji instinctively narrowed his eyes and looked at Naruto warily, "You''re not thinking of pretending to be a ghost to scare off the people causing trouble in the Land of Birds, are you?"


    "Of course not." Naruto chuckled awkwardly and gave Neji a light punch on the shoulder, "Am I such a dark-hearted and dirty person in your eyes?"


    Neji opened his mouth, wanting to deny it, but after considering Naruto''s track record of not always doing things by the book, he simply nodded.


    Naruto feigned a look of deep pain, clutching his chest as if he had been deeply hurt.


    ¡°I always thought I was a good person.¡±


    Seeing this, Neji didn''t have time to deal with Naruto''s antics and turned away, striding off.


    On the other side, Chishima had calmed down and got up, ready to continue their journey.


    Before reaching the Land of Birds, the weaker version of Shinpachi exined the situation in the Land of Birds in detail.


    The situation wasn''t overlyplicated.


    The former Daimyo of the Land of Birds was a leader with average governing ability but a good reputation.


    The people in the country, both upper and lower, were quite satisfied with the former Daimyo. Even though the Land of Birds could not bepared with the Five Great Nations, they could still be said to be living in peace and contentment.


    The chief advisor, Moso, was a revered elder who had earned the former Daimyo''s respect through his mastery of certain mystical arts. His reputation was also excellent, and he was regarded as a virtuous and wise elder.


    The strategist, Komei, was the head of all officials, a calm and wise figure. Komei was in his prime, with a bright future ahead of him.


    The Daimyo, the chief advisor, and the strategist maintained a delicate bnce, but it didn''tst long, as the Daimyo was assassinated.


    Since the position of Daimyo couldn''t remain vacant, a new Daimyo had to be chosen quickly to stabilize the Land of Birds.


    At that time, there were only two candidates for the position of Daimyo. One was Sagi, the legitimate son of the former daimyo and fully supported by Moso, and the other was the strategist Komei.


    Amidst intense court debates over legitimacy versus merit, Sagi eventually emerged victorious and became the new Daimyo of the Land of Birds.


    Later, Sagi''s sister was also assassinated, with the cause attributed to the Cursed Warrior.


    "It was a ghost that suddenly appeared from the sky, and all attacks against it were ineffective." Chishima said, his shoulders trembling slightly.


    "Shinpachi, calm down. There''s no such thing as ghosts in this world." Naruto called back while continuing to walk, "The dead can''te back to life. Where would a ghoste from?"


    ¡®Although there were indeed no ghosts, but the dead could be revived.¡¯


    As he thought so, Naruto quietly chose the second option in his mind.


    [Option 2: Reward: Resolve the chaos in the Land of Birds. Reward: Shinigami¡¯s Gaze, Impure World Reincarnation (No Sacrifice Version)]


    Putting aside the rewards, the task of controlling a small country like the Land of Birds is difficult toplete. Inparison, the second option, which is resolving the turmoil in the Land of Birds, seemed much easier.


    All that was needed was to uncover the truth behind the Cursed Warrior and restore peace.


    ording to Neji and Tenten''s thinking, this matter is not overlyplicated. There are only two possible culprits with vested interests, the chief advisor, Moso, and the strategist Komei.


    One of them must be behind the trouble.


    With just a bit of investigation, they might discover something more.


    However, Naruto knew that Chishima, the Shinpachi lookalike, didn''t grasp the full truth. To be honest, this TV original plot was not very good, and even a little boring.


    However, the famous scene where the Daimyo was revealed to be a girl left a strong impression on Naruto, so much so that he remembered the entire plot.


    The chief advisor, Moso, wasn''t a high priest at all, but rather the leader of a group of Missing-nin. He ordered his men to kill the previous Daimyo, and then murdered his sessor, Sagi.


    Sagi''s sister, Princess Toki, was devastated by the deaths of her father and brother. Unable to ept reality, she wanted to reunite with her family in death.


    However, just as she was about to plunge a knife into her chest, her brother''s spirit stopped her.


    After enduring her grief, Princess Toki decided to seek revenge at all costs. She tied up her long hair, disguised herself as her brother, and spread the word that the one who had died was not Sagi but his sister, Toki.


    In essence, this was a story of a Mn-like character in the Shinobi World, seeking to avenge her father and brother by cross-dressing as a man and using the Cursed Warrior''s name to investigate the truth.


    Unfortunately, Princess Toki was too inexperienced and her investigation didn¡¯t yield much.


    To put it bluntly, it''s just a bunch of ipetent Missing-nin trying to seize the control of the Land of Birds. Luckily for them, the Land of Birds was so weak that there wasn''t anyone capable of stopping them.


    Which means, since even a group of weak Missing-nin could try to seize the control of the Land of Birds, there was no reason why Naruto couldn''t do it.


    However, Naruto and his team were just hired Shinobi, and is subjected to various limitations.


    Not to mention seizing the control of the Land of Birds, even getting in touch with the Daimyo is not an easy task.


    Although Naruto wanted both rewards, the Spirit Transformation Technique and the sacrifice-free Impure World Reincarnation, he had to choose.


    Both techniques were highly attractive to him. The Spirit Transformation Technique, especially, was tempting due to its ability to forcibly extract someone¡¯s soul and y them shamefully y, making it one of the most unsettling and unique techniques in the Shinobi World.


    However, the risk associated with the Spirit Transformation Technique was high. Kato Dan, the original user, had died after being fatally injured during a rainy night, ultimately sumbing to blood loss.


    The two pieces in front of Naruto now are the Spirit Transformation Technique and the Impure World Reincarnation Technique.


    After hesitating for a moment, he chose thetter.


    It¡¯s because Spirit Transformation Technique also had a significant drawback. While the soul was outside the body, the physical form remained immobile and vulnerable. If the body wasn''t properly protected, or if there was a traitor within the group, it could lead to disaster.


    At this stage, Naruto didn''t really need the Spirit Transformation Technique. And given the nature of the system, it was possible for the Spirit Transformation Technique to appear as an option again in the future.


    Although choosing between the two options felt like a loss either way, afterprehensive consideration, option 2 seems to be more cost-effective.


    At the same time, Naruto came up with a bold idea.


    The current daimyo of the Land of Birds was Princess Toki, who is disguised as a man. If she was willing to risk her life to avenge her brother and father, Naruto wondered if there might be a different way to approach this situation, one that might allow him to exploit a potential bug in the system.


    But if he¡¯s not careful, he might get stuck at the requirements of the first option.

 Chapter 163 Princess of Vengeance

    Chapter 163 Princess of Vengeance


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    Thest time Naruto attempted to exploit a system bug was back in early summer, and he nearly ended up crashing the system entirely.


    He was young then, but times are different now.


    Now, Naruto was not just willing to try again¡­ He was determined to push the system to its limits and see if he could break it once more.


    Upon arriving in the Land of Birds, Neji led the team in investigating the most likely suspect, the strategist, Komei. After all, Komei was the biggestpetitor of the current Daimyo.


    Naruto knew the truth, but he still patiently followed along with the investigation.


    There was nothing wrong with Komei. If they didn''t make groundless assumptions, they would naturally not be able to find anything. And obviously, Neji and Tenten also realized this.


    In this situation, either Komei was extremely good at hiding his tracks, or the problemy with Moso. And as it turns out, thetter was indeed the case. It wasn¡¯t long before Moso attracted Neji¡¯s suspicion.


    With the investigation back on track, things became much clearer. The more they investigated Moso, the more suspicious he appeared. Not only was he not a high priest, but he also had ties to a mysterious organization.


    The three of them would also asionally listen to the chattering memories of Chishima, who looked very simr to Shinhachi, recalling the time when he and, Daimyo and Toki were childhood friends.


    "His personality has changed? Is he still the same Sagi?" Naruto nced at Chishima, "And, aren''t you supposed to be the childhood friend of the so-called Daimyo? Howe you can''t exin why his personality changed?"


    "Perhaps it was because of the death of his father and sister that made him..." Chishima replied, somewhat uncertain.


    "Or maybe he just doesn''t want to see you." Naruto quipped, though he left out the part about Toki, who was actually Princess Toki disguised as her brother, try to avoid being recognized by those who knew her well.


    "Stop talking, they''re here." Tenten warned.


    At night, when the Cursed Warrior fell from the sky, Naruto quickly threw a few shuriken.


    The so-called Cursed Warrior, suspended by arge kite, fell to the ground with a loud crash. Seeing this, the three of them exchanged nces and already had the answer in their hearts.


    The so-called Cursed Warrior is nothing more than kite warriors.


    He was just someone who used a huge ck kite to create a ghostly appearance of floating in the air at night.


    "The Cursed Warrior is indeed a fake, let''s go after them."


    "Don''t bother, we''re surrounded." Neji said, "We can''t afford to fight with the soldiers of the Land of Birds. We need to retreat first."


    "What a hassle." Narutoined.


    "That''s what Shinobi are like. Stopining and let''s move." Tenten said, pulling Naruto along as they fled through the forest.


    That night, Moso¡¯s men surrounded the inn where Neji, Tenten, and Naruto were staying, and they conveniently ¡®discovered¡¯ the Cursed Warrior¡¯s armor in Komei''s house.


    Moso, who had sensed something was wrong, had already begun to close the, nning to kill Komei. As long as the strategist, Komei, is dead, the young Daimyo would be left defenseless, making Moso the de facto ruler of the Land of Birds.


    Neji didn''t want to conflict with the Land of Birds'' soldiers, so he ordered a retreat once more.


    In the forest, the three regrouped at their prearranged meeting spot. The night wind rustled the leaves, and the moonlight filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows.


    Neji frowned and said, "It''s clear now¡­ Komei isn''t behind the Cursed Warrior. This is undoubtedly Moso¡¯s doing. Moso and Komei both suspect the identity of the Cursed Warrior, so Moso acted first."


    "So, what do we do now?" Naruto asked.


    "We split into two groups," Neji replied. " Tenten and I will infiltrate the execution grounds to rescue Komei. Naruto, you need to find a way to get into the Daimyo''s residence and reveal the truth."


    "If we do this, our mission will beplete."


    Neji was right. Konoha''s mission was to uncover the ghost warrior''s true identity and drive him away. If Komei died, they would lose a key lead on the Cursed Warrior.


    The prerequisite for Neji and Tenten to take Komei away is that they must have a legitimate reason. Only by telling the Daimyo of the Land of Birds about Moso¡¯s conspiracy and letting the Daimyo deprive Moso of his status as the chief advisor, will it be convenient for them to take action.


    "Got it." Naruto agreed, not really concerned.


    ¡®Once Moso and his group are eliminated, I would receive the reward of the Impure World Reincarnation. As for Princess Toki, as long as her brain is still intact, she should know what to do.¡¯


    Under the cover of night, Naruto silently infiltrated the Daimyo¡¯s residence.


    Avoiding the servants and patrolling guards, he gauged the timing and quietly made his way onto the pce roof. He lightly jumped down,nding directly above the Daimyo¡¯s room.


    With a soft thud, Naruto fell gently to the ground like a fallen leaf.


    At this time, Toki¡¯s hair was down, falling loosely on either side. She had just begun removing the Cursed Warrior Armor, revealing her undergarments, and was still in the process of taking off the armor.


    The pce hall was enormous, resembling the sleeping quarters of a noble, with a bedrge enough to amodate ten people. Themps burned slowly, illuminating the entire room.


    "You--!"


    Toki was too inexperienced,pletely unaware of Naruto¡¯s presence until he suddenly dropped from the roof. Startled, she looked up to see a blond figurending before her.


    She was stunned, and immediately remembered that she hadn¡¯t fully removed her armor. Realizing her secret had been discovered, she quickly developed murderous intent.


    Just as she was uttering ¡®you¡¯, Naruto''s pupils dted slightly and he reacted extremely quickly without the slightest hesitation.


    He performed a spinning move in mid-air,nding on top of Toki, covering her mouth with one hand, and pinning her forcefully to the ground.


    Naruto showed no mercy, even to a woman, After all, his teammates¡¯ lives were at stake, and if he messed up by being overlypassionate, Neji and Tenten would be forced into a dangerous confrontation with the Land of Birds¡¯ soldiers.


    "Don''t speak."


    He raised his hand, and a Lava Release jutsu covered his palm, burning a hole in the floor in front of her eyes.


    "If you don¡¯t want your face to end up like that, it¡¯s best you stay quiet. I don¡¯t have the patience to talk to you."


    Seeing the fear in Toki''s eyes, Naruto then continued.


    "I''m a Shinobi from Konoha."


    Identifying himself put the client at ease. Although he is a temporary worker, Naruto still maintained professional conduct.


    Sure enough, Toki, who was pinned to the ground and trembling with fear, seemed visibly less terrified after hearing that he was a Konoha¡¯s Shinobi.


    Once Naruto released her mouth, she took a deep breath andined dissatisfiedly, "The rtionship between the Land of Birds and Konoha is average. Even if you are a Shinobi from Konoha, you can''t just¡­"


    Naruto cut her off, not interested in herints.


    "We¡¯ve already figured it out that Moso, the chief advisor, is the leader of a group of Missing-nin. He¡¯s the one who killed your father and brother."


    "What?" Toki was stunned. "How did you know?"


    "The strategist, Komei, has been framed and taken away by Moso. As the Daimyo of the the Land of Birds, you¡¯d better take your people and stop him now."


    "Why should I trust you?"


    "I knew you¡¯d ask that¡­" Naruto smiled and suddenly pped her, "Wake up, I''m a Konoha¡¯s Shinobi, what would I want from you?"


    "You!!"


    p!


    "I''m going to kill you!"


    p! p!


    Toki¡¯s face swelled up, and she whimpered, not daring to shout anymore.


    "I hate troublesome clients like you. For such little pay, do you expect us to risk our lives?" Naruto said, "You are so ipetent that you can''t find out the truth on your own."


    "Now that I¡¯ve given you the answer, why are you still acting so arrogant?"


    Toki, who was pped several times, had her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the blond Shinobi in front of her. But Naruto, with a slight frown, showed no signs of stopping.


    Seeing that the man''s hand was raised again, Toki wanted to resist, but was afraid of Naruto''s high-temperature Lava Release.


    "Fine! I''ll go!"


    "What do you mean, you¡¯ll go? This is your responsibility. Aren¡¯t you the so-called ¡®Princess of Vengeance¡¯?" Naruto looked down at Toki, "Go now."

 Chapter 164 Hard to Coax

    Chapter 164 Hard to Coax


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    Naruto didn¡¯t know much about Princess Toki initially.


    However, the numerous fan works portraying her as the Princess of Vengeance left asting impression on him. These works often featured scenarios like, ¡®You don¡¯t want your brother¡¯s death to go unavenged, do you?¡¯. In the Land of Birds, one would find themselves identally discovering the truth about the Daimyo¡¯s daughter.


    In those dark tales, Toki was depicted as having fallen to the dark side, driven by her desire for vengeance! Imprisonment, failure, torture¡­ so many vivid depictions burned into Naruto''s mind.


    When it came to revenge, Toki was indeed a resolute girl.


    The deaths of her father and brother deeply scarred her. To avenge them, she tied her hair up, disguised herself as her brother, and took on the role of the Daimyo of the Land of Birds.


    Hatred consumed her, making her ignore anything unrted to revenge.


    Naruto was very aware that she didn''t care whether the Konoha¡¯s Shinobi lived or died, nor did she care if she herself survived. As long as she could exact her revenge, she would stop at nothing, forsaking everything.


    After careful consideration, Naruto ultimately decided to abandon the idea of seizing control of the Land of Birds.


    It is simply unrealistic to rely on the Princess of Vengeance to take over the Land of Birds. Although the Land of Birds is small, it still had all the essentialponents of a nation. While the countrycked exceptional Shinobi, it did have clever and fearless individuals like Komei.


    Controlling a country is much more difficult than simply fighting and killing. It couldn''t be done just by controlling one Princess of Vengeance, especially one as difficult to control as Toki, whose mind was fixated on revenge.


    After much thought, Naruto decided it was best toplete the mission and just leave.


    And so, in Toki''s shocked gaze, Naruto calmly pped her again.


    "I am the Daimyo of the Land of Birds!"


    "No, you''re not. Your brother is. You''re just an imposter." Naruto stared at her and said, "I advise you not to entertain any other ideas."


    With that, Naruto stood up.


    "You know what Shinobi are capable of. You wouldn''t want your father and brother to be restless in their graves, would you?"


    "You!! What on earth do you really want?" Toki asked through gritted teeth, her face red and swollen.


    "I already told you, why don''t you listen to others properly?" Naruto wasn''t far from Toki. A couple of steps forward and he could reach her.


    When Naruto''s gaze once again fell on Toki''s cheek, thetter shuddered violently.


    They say you shouldn¡¯t hit someone in the face, but Toki didn¡¯t understand what was wrong with this blonde from Konoha. At the slightest disagreement, he would p her. As the fake Daimyo of the Land of Birds, her dignity was shattered.


    But the man didn''t seem to care at all and even appeared to want to continue hitting her.


    ¡®Crazy! Doesn''t this person have any concept of diplomacy? Doesn''t he know what the consequences of offending the Daimyo of other countries are?¡¯


    "Don''t hit me anymore, I remember now." Toki lowered her head and said.


    "Very good." Naruto took two steps back, his figure instantly disappearing, leaving behind a final remark, "I''ll be waiting for your good news, fake Daimyo."


    Toki was still smart enough. She led a group of people to the residence of the chief advisor, Moso, and posted an announcement along the streets that Moso was a Missing-nin.


    They stormed the mansion and directly found evidence of Moso¡¯s collusion with Missing-nin, rescuing the strategist, Komei in the process. With Komei¡¯s testimony, Moso and his associates were sentenced.


    The truth was just as Naruto said, but even though Toki was mentally prepared, she was still stunned for a long time when faced with the truth.


    Compared to Neji and Tenten, who specialized in Taijutsu, Naruto''s skills in Ninjutsu and assassination were even more impressive.


    The strength of Moso and the other Missing-nin was not very high. Naruto held his presence and quietly moved forward, killing most of them cleanly and neatly.


    [Shinigami¡¯s Gaze, Impure World Reincarnation (No Sacrifice Version) was sessfully dispatched.]


    It turned out that strategist Komei was indeed clever. Before Moso took him away, he had already arranged how to inform Toki and even set up guards.


    As the truth was fully revealed and the dust settled, Komei, the strategist, decided to continue supporting Toki as the Daimyo, even after the death of the former Daimyo.


    It is precisely because of the existence of people like Komei in the Land of Bird that Naruto gave up the opportunity to exploit the system¡¯s bug and chose to end the mission in the Land of Birds early.


    The matter hase to an end, but the impact has not disappeared.


    Not long after Naruto, Neji, and Tenten left, the Land of Birds sent an envoy to Konoha to submit a request for the establishment of diplomatic rtions between the two sides.


    By the time the mission was over, Konoha had entered deep autumn.


    Fallen leaves, harboring atent chill, hinted at the impending winter, giving the once lively streets of Konoha a sense of destion and powerlessness.


    Tsunade also granted Naruto a few days off.


    When he returned home and unlocked the door, Kurama''s head popped up from behind the sofa. Upon seeing Naruto''s face, the fox''s expression turned to one of disappointment.


    "Why aren''t you dead?"


    "It''s a pity that the opponent is too weak." Naruto responded nonchntly.


    He walked into the living room, stood beside the sofa, and lit the incense that had gone out. Staring at his own photo in front of the three incense sticks, he examined it for a moment, rubbing his chin.


    ¡°Too bad it''s not in ck and white.¡±


    "I couldn''t find a ck-and-white one." Kurama turned to Naruto, casually flicking his paw, showing disinterest in everything.


    ¡°I''ll take a ck-and-white one for you someday.¡± Naruto said, then walked into the kitchen to start preparing food. Then, his voice came from afar, "Did the girl with golden haire here during the time I was away?"


    "No." Kurama replied while drinking, "No one came here. You''ve lost your value now, brat. Hurry up and find a new owner to buy me some booze!"


    The sound of water running came clearly from the kitchen.


    Naruto paused at the kitchen doorway, leaning against the frame with a smile as he asked, "Kurama, how''s your backflip practice going?"


    "Not doing it anymore." Kurama replied, chugging from his bottle, "Although I don''t understand the twists and turns of you humans, Iter found that there are some things that cannot be solved even with a backflip."


    Naruto, who was leaning in the doorway,ughed uncontrobly, as if he had heard something very funny.


    The stove clicked as the fire was lit, a soft blue me emerging. Oil heated in the pan, and two eggs were cracked and slid into it, gradually taking on the shape of a sun.


    The sizzling heat spread, and slices of bacon were added to the other side of the hot oil. In another pot, various seasonings were mixed, and under the high heat, the broth began to bubble and roll.


    Fruits were rinsed under the faucet, water droplets sshing around the sink, slowly trailing down the basin''s edge.


    When everything was cooked to perfection, filling the kitchen with a rich aroma, the food was carefully ced into containers, and the fruit was cut and stored as well.


    After cleaning the kitchen out of habit, Naruto carried the food containers out to the living room, cing them on the dining table. He then went to his room, grabbed some clothes, and headed into the bathroom.


    "Where are you going? It''s already dark." Kurama asked boredly as he nced towards the bathroom.


    With a click, the bathroom light turned on, casting a warm, bright glow.


    "To coax someone." Naruto replied.

 Chapter 165 Reconciliation

    Chapter 165 Reconciliation


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    Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    There were dull footstepsing from the wooden stairs on the second floor. A refined woman looked up when she heard the sound and a gentle smile appeared on her face, "Ino, don''t you have a mission tomorrow?"


    "I can''t sleep." Ino, who was wearing loose pajamas, rubbed her eyes, looking a little haggard, "I''ll watch the shop. Mom, you should rest."


    "Is it okay?" Rino asked.


    The shop was brightly lit, with flowers neatly arranged on the shelves. Moths fluttered around the illuminatedmp. The street outside grew noisier as night set in, and the sounds slowly seeped through the ss door of the shop.


    Outside, it was pitch dark, with therge green tree outside the shop standing silent under the dim yellow light.


    Ino withdrew her gaze from the window and said with a smile, "Yes, it''s fine, Mom. My mission starts in the afternoon tomorrow, so I have plenty of time."


    Rino nodded, then stood up from the counter and went upstairs. Ino sat down in front of the chair and absentmindedly picked up a book to read.


    The shop was quiet, and Ino found herself staring at a line in the book, lost in thought.


    Since the day they returned from the camping trip, it felt as though nothing had changed. Iruka had given almost everyone an excellent evaluation on their records, except for Naruto.


    She regretted her impulsiveness that day. Andter on, when she thought about it carefully, she realized that there was no need to say those unnecessary things.


    Being a Shinobi was an incredibly risky profession, and the higher the expectations ced on someone, the more likely bad things would happen. There was still a long time ahead, and no one could predict what the future would hold.


    But once words are spoken, they can''t be taken back.


    Thinking about what had happened that day, Ino couldn''t help but sigh. The situation had spiraled out of her control, and some words had just slipped out her mouth without her thinking.


    Ding-ling.


    The bell above the door chimed as it opened.


    "We¡­" Ino looked up, but her words trailed off as she saw who had entered.


    The coolness of thete autumn evening seeped in, making people feelzy. The door to the Yamanaka Flower Shop creaked as Naruto pushed it open, and the noise from the busy street outside flooded into the shop.


    Ino¡¯s gaze becameplicated as she looked at the person who entered. His blonde hair was disheveled, he was wearing a loose white T-shirt, casually paired with long pants, and his forehead protector was absent, revealing his smooth forehead.


    He was carrying a food container in one hand. His long limbs made it clear that he had grown a lot recently. His steps were slow, and his blue eyes, hidden under his blonde hair,zily locked onto Ino''s face.


    Then his pupils slightly contracted, and he smiled with a confident, almost smug expression.


    Under the warm yellow light, Ino couldn''t help but want to smile too, but she held it in. She pushed the book in front of her forward, her lips pursed as she spoke irritably, "If you''re not buying flowers, then don''t linger here."


    "I am buying." Naruto leaned over, put the food box on the counter, andzily found a high chair to sit opposite Ino, "I''ll buy whichever one you like."


    "I like them all."


    ¡°Then I''ll buy them all.¡±


    "Yeah, right." Ino muttered, "I''ve seen too many flowers. Whatever you give me won''t mean anything. I suggest you don''t waste your effort."


    "Then how about I give you food?" Naruto said.


    Ino nced at him sideways, leaning on the counter with her head half-propped up. She nced at Naruto, then looked outside the window, before finally shifting her gaze back to the food container, where it lingered for a couple of seconds.


    "What is that?"


    "I just came back from a mission and haven''t eaten yet. I brought some food for you, and I''ll have some too." Naruto said, telling the truth without a hint of hesitation.


    "Aren''t you supposed to say you brought it just for me?" Ino frowned, clearly dissatisfied with his attitude, "Although even if you said that, I will still feel a little disgusted."


    "But your truth is even more infuriating."


    "I''m hungry," Naruto said, "If I said it was just for you, you''d probably make sure I don''t get any. You might even eat it all just to spite me, even if you weren''t hungry."


    "Hmph, you''re making me sound worse than I am." Ino turned her head and said smugly, "Sorry, but I don''t have any appetite right now."


    "Okay."


    Naruto sat directly across from Ino and leisurely opened the food container, carefully cing a dish, a soup, and a fruit te on the counter.


    "The food is too simple." Inomented nonchntly as she picked up her book again, "It looks like something thrown together in a rush."


    "This is the best I can do with cooking." Naruto admitted. He didn''t start eating right away but instead looked at Ino and asked, "But... I suddenly want to know what you think of this dish, Ino."


    "Are you trying to hint that I should take a bite?"


    "Not really. But if you can tell how it tastes just by smelling it, then you don''t have to bother eating."


    "That''s a pretty weak excuse. If that''s the case, I won''t eat a single bite." Ino''s eyes scanned the same line of text over and over, but she couldn''t focus on the words.


    "Actually, I don''t really care about your opinion, Ino. I just want you to take a bite, so that I can find an excuse to take advantage of you."


    "Pervert!" Ino only showed a pair of eyes above the book, revealing a look of contempt, "What kind of thoughts are running through your head?"


    "Maid outfit."


    "Go to hell!" Ino mmed the book shut and threw it at him, her face flushing a deep red, "My mom is still upstairs, you''d better not say anything weird."


    "Alright, alright." Naruto replied, looking like he had more to say but stopped himself.


    Seeing his slightly threatening yet fake sincere expression, Ino immediately became furious. She stomped forward a few steps and pinched his waist.


    Naruto seemed to have lost his sense of pain. He picked up a piece of bacon with his chopsticks, and offered it to her with a smile.


    "I was nning to go home and sleep, but I suddenly wanted to see you, so I came straight here."


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Ino nced nervously towards the staircase leading upstairs, then hesitated before leaning in and taking a bite of the bacon. Her cheeks puffed slightly before she swallowed it.


    She lowered her voice and loosened her hands that were twisting the soft flesh around Naruto''s waist, "I don''t want to see you at all! Pervert!"


    "That''s too bad. We were so close to being a perfect match." Naruto said, lowering his head and starting to eat as if he hadn''t eaten in ages.


    "Who would want to talk to you? Your phrasing is disgusting." Ino muttered, her hands twisting together behind her back, "About that day... that day¡­"


    "Which day?" Naruto asked without looking up.


    "¡­ On the day of the summer camp at the Academy." Ino stammered, "I said a lot of weird things that day."


    "Did you?" Naruto paused, then looked up at Ino with azy look in his eyes, "What did you say? I thought you and Hinata were just teaming up to mess with me."


    "It wasn''t really messing with you... Maybe I wasn''t feeling well after being in the rain, so I said some nonsense." Ino mumbled awkwardly, then looked at Naruto and quickly changed the subject, "Let''s not talk about that."

 Chapter 166 Special Training?

    Chapter 166 Special Training?


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    "After Sasuke left¡­" Ino asked, "You are now forming teams with others and doing missions everywhere, right?"


    "Kind of, but those missions are mostly forced on me by Tsunade-sama." Naruto sighed and said, "I''d much rather just lie around at home doing nothing."


    "That''s not going to happen!"


    "I''m telling you, show some enthusiasm!" Ino ced a hand on her forehead and nced at Naruto, "Shikamaru is already a Chunin, don''t you want to be a Chunin too?"


    For these teenagers, the allure of a Shinobi title was as strong as getting a certification in modern world. Although being recognized as a Chunin didn''t necessarily make one stronger, it was a required step on the path to bing a Jonin.


    But Naruto didn¡¯t care.


    "Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?" Naruto was a little surprised. "The Chunin Exams aren''t until next summer, right?"


    "How should I put it?" Ino turned her head away, "Tsunade-sama is treating you like one of her own and trains you. You should at least try a little harder."


    "Her? Forget it." Naruto said bluntly, "I¡¯ve got about a week off right now, and I¡¯m not going anywhere near that woman."


    Tsunade had been handing out missions left and right recently. In private, Naruto had even nicknamed her ¡®Mission Princess¡¯. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, he would avoid being in her sight.


    Time for cking off was limited, but missions were endless.


    Kakashi, the candidate for the Rokudaime Hokage, had already be numb to it, constantly running missions in the Land of Snow and the Land of Wind.


    asionally, he had to jump between different teams to clean up messes left by unreliable juniors. He is Konoha''s old task master and can be regarded as a hard-working Jonin during Tsunade''s early days in office.


    "Well, if you''re not going on missions, you''ll probably be taken for training." Ino suddenly said.


    "Hmm?" Naruto showed a confused expression, "What training? Howe I haven¡¯t heard anything about that?"


    "Of course you haven''t." Ino sighed, her cheeks puffing slightly as she looked at him and said, "I heard from my dad yesterday that Jiraiya-sama is already back in the vige."


    "And what does that have to do with me?" Naruto said indifferently, "I¡¯m definitely not going for any training. Pervy Sage knows that too."


    "Why not? Isn''t Jiraiya-sama one of the legendary Sannin?" Ino asked in doubts.


    "That may be true, but it''s apletely different matter." Naruto scratched his face and said, "Training with Pervy Sage is really stressful."


    "I don¡¯t want to be some big-shot. Maintaining the status quo is good enough for me."


    "It''s really irritating to hear you say that!" Ino slumped over the counter, feeling a bit depressed.


    "Why?"


    "I''ve seen your missionpletion rate¡­ it¡¯s almost 100%, even for A-rank missions. Although your reputation isn¡¯t the best, your strength always seems to improve quickly."


    "Reputation is one of those things that''s better left unspoken." Naruto said, feeling a little embarrassed.


    "That¡¯s why when I hear you say that you just want to maintain the status quo, it suddenly bes a little annoying." Ino stared at Naruto''s face and said, "I feel like I haven''t made any progress since the Chunin Exams."


    After bing Genin, the group had spent half a year on missions, gradually recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses, and rifying their paths.


    Sasuke had defected, embarking on a path of revenge.


    Hinata had solidified her resolve to be apetent Shinobi, not aiming to surpass Neji, but simply to avoid being a burden. She sought to be a reliablepanion within her team.


    Neji sought to break free from his constraints and find the answer to true freedom. Lee is determined to burn his Youth and keep moving towards the direction of the supreme Taijutsu.


    Tenten had be a capable tool user, performing well in Taijutsu, but her versatile skills and resourcefulness made her an indispensablepanion for any mission.


    But there are many people who are lost among them. Sakura could be considered one of them.


    Naruto had no clear goals, going through the motions with little ambition. He had no real desire to be Hokage and could easily spend dayszing around if not on a mission.


    Rather than being lost, it was more like Naruto had never intended to move forward in the first ce.


    He was like a dandelion seed, drifting wherever the wind took him. If hended in the sea, he''d just keep floating. Yet, despite hisck of direction, his strength continued to grow, leaving others baffled.


    "Ino, I have a way to help you improve your strength."


    "What way?"


    "Special training." Naruto no longer had the appetite to eat. He put away the te and put it back into the food box. He stared at Ino and said seriously, "I''ll help you with special training."


    "You?" Ino''s expression was a littleplicated, "Hearing you say that, while I am very grateful in my heart, I can''t imagine that you can have any good special training methods."


    "Don''t underestimate me, damn it!"


    "You¡¯re not asking for our bodies to be stacked on top of each other, right?" Ino asked, giving him a sidelong nce.


    "¡­ What do you take me for? I was just making a suggestion." Naruto waspletely speechless, "Remember that furniture store below my apartment?"


    At his words, Ino raised an eyebrow.


    She had just spent a lot of time talking nonsense with Naruto, but in truth, she already felt much better now, and her anxiety about the future had also eased considerably.


    Naruto was well aware of what was going on. As soon as Ino started saying those things, he began to start bluffing seriously.


    The key to easing Ino''s anxiety wasn''t about what would happen in the future but about how to act now to make her feel better in the present.


    Being a Genin much stronger than her, instead of giving lofty, long-winded speeches, small, ridiculous suggestions would actually be more helpful to Ino.


    "That big furniture store?" Ino asked.


    "Yeah, it went out of business. There''s a lot of space there. I can buy it and use it as a training ground." Naruto said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "If you have time, we could train together."


    "Idiot! No way I''m going there!" Ino made a face and snorted, "Do you think I''m a fool? You want to trick me into going to your ce."


    "I¡¯m not that easy to fool!"


    "Eh? I''m going to be sad if you say that." Naruto frowned, "I just want you to get stronger, Ino. If you do, won''t your worries disappear?"


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    "For someone like you who secretly refrigerates bath water, it''s totally unconvincing to say something like this! Hmph!!"


    "That time was an ident, let me exin." Naruto said, reaching out to grab Ino''s hand that was resting on the counter. "No, listen to my exnation!"


    Ino''s body froze when she realized her hand was being held by Naruto. Her reaction was very cute, like a cat that was frozen in time, with a blush spreading from her cheeks all the way down to her neck.


    "Let go!" She stammered.


    "You still blush after being caught several times? What a cute reaction." Naruto said naturally.


    "Go to hell, you pervert!" Ino yanked her hand back and, using the other hand, pushed him away. She frowned as she stared at the yellow-haired boy, and said, "Don''t suddenly grab my hand!"


    "Then, can I grab it openly next time?"


    "Absolutely not!" Ino rejected without hesitation, with a firm attitude, "We''re not that close, so please don''t act like a creep!"


    Naruto was quite satisfied with Ino''s reaction. He supported his head with one hand and stared at Ino with a smile, "Winter ising soon, you..."


    Thud, thud! The sound of someone upstairs identally falling was followed by a startled cry.

 Chapter 167 The Girl Takes The Upper Hand

    Chapter 167 The Girl Takes The Upper Hand


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    At this time, the elegantly dressed Rino stumbled but managed to steady herself at the staircase''s corner.


    Rino happened to meet the eyes of the two youngsters at the counter, and realizing that she had been discovered, she looked a little embarrassed.


    "This staircase is getting a bit old. I''ll have to find someone to rece itter."


    "¡­ Mom." Ino''s face darkened with embarrassment, "You weren''t eavesdropping just now, were you?"


    "Cough, of course not." Rino covered her mouth with a lightugh, walking gracefully down the stairs. "I just happened to being down. Who knew this staircase was so..."


    Looking at her mother who had lost all her usually elegant temperament, Ino felt a bit helpless.


    "Mom, eavesdropping is wrong."


    "Ino-chan, I didn''t hear anything you two were talking about." Rino, dressed in an elegant long dress, walked over to the flower bed and began watering the nts.


    Hearing this, Ino finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    But the next second, with her back to them, Rino casually said, "Refrigerating bathwater can upset your stomach, you know."


    Ino turned her head stiffly and looked at Naruto, her pupils dting in shock. Naruto understood the meaning behind her gaze and quickly stood up, grabbing the lunchbox as he said to Rino, "Auntie, it''s gettingte. I''m going back first."


    "You''re not going to stay a bit longer?" Rino turned around and asked with a smile, "Ino-chan, she..."


    "Mom!" Ino panicked and interrupted Rino, "That¡­ That¡­!"


    Ino''s face flushed red as she hurriedly shoved Naruto out of the store, shutting the door behind him. She turned to Rino and said, "Mom, I''ll send that guy out first."


    "Will youe back in the evening?" Rino asked with a smile.


    "It¡¯s only right outside the door! Mom, please don''t say things like that." Ino said, a bit exasperated. With a click, she locked the shop door.


    When she turned around, she saw that Naruto was still standing nearby, watching her, with no intention of leaving.


    "My mom, she... Anyway, don''t think too much about it." Ino said, feeling a bit worn out from dealing with a mother who seemed serious but wasn''t reliable when it mattered.


    To make things worse, the blond guy in front of her wasn¡¯t exactly a saint either. Seeing his innocent-looking face, Ino felt herposure slipping. She walked up to him, grabbed his shirt, and dragged him into a dimly lit corner of the street.


    "What kind of face is that?"


    "I was just thinking about you, Ino-chan, hahaha!" Naruto burst intoughter.


    "Don''tugh!" Ino grabbed Naruto''s neck and threatened fiercely, "There''s... There''s something I want to ask you. Since things are already like this, I might as well just ask!"


    "What is it?"


    "You can pretend to be clueless, although I don''t care much about this kind of thing, but!" Ino brushed her hair back from her forehead and stared at Naruto fixatedly, "There''s one thing I hope you can rify."


    "Me and Hinata¡­ who are you closer with?"


    "Huh?" Naruto was dumbfounded, a hundred questions running through his mind, ¡®That''s it?¡¯


    "Is it difficult to decide?" Ino''s eyes dimmed slightly.


    Hearing this, Naruto blinked his eyes, ¡®That was not the case. It was not a difficult decision. It was actually too easy to decide. Rtionships aren''t private matters.¡¯


    ¡®It can be simply understood as, to be good, to have a better rtionship with someone.¡¯


    "Not at all. Of course, I''m closest to you." Naruto said smoothly, as if he were still a child trying to coax a ymate, "I only gave the key to you. What do you think?"


    "Really?" Ino sounded as naive as a little girl at that moment.


    "Of course it''s true. I swear on my beloved foxhound that if I''m lying¡­!" Naruto raised his hand and swore without hesitation.


    "May that foxhound be struck by lightning, starve to death, never touch a drop of alcohol again."


    "Does that dog even drink?" Ino asked, slightly surprised.


    "Yeah, I told you before, all those drinks in the living room fridge are for him." Naruto said, throwing Kurama under the bus without a second thought. After all, drinking wasn¡¯t exactly a secret.


    "A foxhound that drinks is so cute!" Ino said.


    "Huh?" Naruto realized that Ino''s thought process seemed a bit odd, ¡®What was so cute about a drunken, sly fox?¡¯


    Meanwhile, Kurama, curled up on the living room sofa with a drink, suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He squinted and looked toward the balcony.


    The half-open window showed nothing but darkness outside. After staring at it for a while, he still couldn''t figure out what was going on.


    ¡®Was it just my imagination?¡¯


    At the corner, Ino covered her mouth andughed. Naruto couldn''t quite understand her reaction but awkwardly chuckled along. His attempt to backstab the fox had failed, so he''d note it down forter.


    Ino, who had beenughing, suddenly remembered that the two of them were in the middle of an argument, and her smile faded.


    "I have a mission tomorrow. I might be gone for a while."


    "Is it dangerous?" Naruto asked, following the flow of conversation.


    "With Asuma-sensei around, it shouldn''t be too dangerous. Besides, because I''m still too weak, they won''t assign me anything too risky for the time being," Ino said.


    "Mm."


    Naruto''s gaze fell on Ino. She was only wearing thin pajamas, the fabric looking quite luxurious. Her fair face was not far away, exuding a faint fragrance.


    Noticing Naruto''s intense gaze, Ino turned her head away and said in a muffled voice, "Are you peeking?"


    "No, I just haven''t seen you in pajamas before. I figured this kind of opportunity doesn''te often, so I might as well take a good look."


    "Pervert." Ino muttered softly, her voice trembling a bit.


    As if his gaze was tangible, Naruto coughed strategically at this moment, and the atmosphere became slightly awkward.


    "Um... I''ll head back now."


    "Wait." Naruto called out to her.


    "What''s wrong?" Ino looked at him. The surrounding light was dim, and this was a secluded alley where no one would pass by. Her heart suddenly started pounding.


    "Nothing, I just suddenly wanted to ask you. After you finished your mission, it''ll be winter, right?" He asked, his voice a bitzy, like a record yer stuck on repeat.


    Ino suddenly felt a bit uneasy. She remembered thest time Naruto was in that state, they had almost ended up behind the big tree... Luckily, nothing had happened in the end.


    "Maybe, but the New Year Festival is still a long way off."


    "My house won''t be cold, so you''ll stille over, right?" Naruto looked at Ino, his eyes clear and sincere, as if nothing but the purest thoughts were behind them.


    Ino pressed her lips together, her heart beating faster. The little flutter in her heart felt both a bit sour and a bit addictive.


    Ambiguity is more enticing than tant affection. A love that¡¯s shrouded in mystery is impossible to fully decipher. Yet with one short sentence, the boy made more of an impact than a fleeting summer could.


    ¡®So, you''ll stille over, right?¡¯


    That sentence kept echoing in Ino''s ears. She narrowed her eyes slightly and a sly smile appeared on her face. Her eyebrows suddenly bent down like a crescent moon.


    "You guess."


    In the depths of Konoha''s streets, under the autumn night''s moonlight, in the dimly lit alley, the girl, with her hands behind her back, had taken the upper hand.

 Chapter 168 Why Do I Have to Tell Her?

    Chapter 168 Why Do I Have to Tell Her?


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    The next day.


    Naruto woke up in bed, immediately remembering the little vacation he''d nned for himself. He had a unique perspective on doing missions.


    For A-Rank missions, it''s more reliable to team up with Team 3. With Neji¡¯s Byakugan, Lee''s Taijutsu, and Tenten''s versatility, they canplete even A-Rank missions with ease.


    B-Rank missions are more fun with Hinata''s Team 8. The danger level isn¡¯t too high, and it''s always amusing to tease Hinata.


    As for C-Rank missions, not even a dog would take them. They are aplete waste of time. They are tiring and troublesome, and are only good for honing one''s mindset. However, some Shinobi like to take on some C-Rank missions asionally to change the pace.


    As for Team 10, where Ino belongs, Naruto has yet to do a mission with them. He even suspects that Tsunade is deliberately avoiding assigning him to missions with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio to prevent him, as a temporary worker, from causing any trouble.


    It''s actually quitemon to switch teams for missions, but it''s a bit abnormal for a professional temporary worker like Naruto.


    Dragging himself out of bed, Naruto washed up, yawning as he changed clothes and went into the kitchen to make breakfast. Meanwhile, the sly fox was passed out on the sofa, the TV having been left on all night.


    Naruto nced at Kurama but didn¡¯t react.


    But soon, when breakfast was ready, he walked over to the fox, grabbed the scruff of his neck, and lifted it up.


    "What?" Kurama groggily opened his eyes.


    "Breakfast is ready. Stop muttering nonsense!" Naruto said, "Are you going to eat?"


    "Why are you asking me to eat breakfast so early in the morning? Are you crazy?" Kurama squinted at Naruto, "I¡¯m not really a dog, so whether I eat or not doesn¡¯t matter."


    "When I say eat, you eat. Why so much chatter?"


    "You little brat, why are you so crazy this early in the morning? Oh! I get it! You were frustratedst night, so now you''re taking it out on me!"


    "No, I¡¯m just telling you to eat breakfast." Naruto deadpanned, "You¡¯ve be toozy, Kurama. You¡¯re turning into aplete drunkard."


    "What does that matter?" Kurama sat on the chair, his eyes not yet fully open, and moved the tableware that belonged to him on the dining table in front of him.


    "I''ve been fighting you humans for so many years, can''t I enjoy myself a little?"


    "Sure, it''s fine." Naruto brought breakfast to the table and casually kicked Kurama¡¯s chair, "I just hope you will have the same attitude next time you work for me."


    "And how¡¯s it going with your little owner?" Kurama asked with narrowed eyes, still holding the booze in his paws.


    "How¡¯s what going?"


    "How should I put it? Like falling in love or something."


    "You even know about that?" Naruto looked at Kurama in surprise, finding it surprising that such words came out of his mouth.


    Kurama looked a bit smug, squinting and muttering something.


    "I¡¯ve been watching some random stufftely. That ck box in the living room keeps ying it every day." Kurama said, taking a bite of breakfast and then downing another drink.


    "I think you humans are ridiculous. You talk so much nonsense and then suddenly end up all over each other. It¡¯s really boring."


    "Well said. Don¡¯t say it again, though. Just shut up." Naruto said, giving Kurama a sideways nce.


    After breakfast.


    Naruto was washing dishes in the kitchen when he looked up and saw Yugao silently appear outside the window, startling him.


    "Do all you Anbu prefer to use windows?"


    "No choice." Yugao said coldly, her voice muffled by her animal mask.


    "Tsunade-sama wants to see me again?"


    "Yes." After saying that, Yugao left directly.


    Naruto looked at the direction where Yugao disappeared and immediately narrowed his eyes, ¡®I wonder what Tsunade thought of the Anbu after taking over it¡­¡¯


    ¡®Messenger pigeons?¡¯


    ¡®However, considering what that woman does on a daily basis, it is not too difficult to understand why she could do such a thing.¡¯


    After tidying up the kitchen, Naruto dried his hands and leisurely walked to the entrance to change his shoes. With a click, he opened the door. The warm sunlight outside was a bit ring, casting a clean and bright light on the white walls.


    Hokage''s Office.


    With a creak, the heavy double office door was pushed open.


    Tsunade, who was sitting at the desk wearing a pair of ck-framed sses, raised her head and nced at Naruto who came to report. Her gaze was sharp, with a kind of intellectual beauty.


    Naruto showed no reaction, his face as lifeless as someone facing a dreaded Monday after a holiday.


    "What''s with that attitude?" Tsunade asked, knocking on her desk in dissatisfaction.


    "I just came back from a mission yesterday." Naruto argued as he walked up to Tsunade, "What about my vacation? Did you forget about it, Tsunade-sama?"


    "Of course I didn''t forget." Tsunade softened slightly, and said with a guilty conscience, "You can consider this as still part of your vacation. I¡¯ll extend it by another day."


    "That''s more like it." Naruto muttered.


    "Anyway, there¡¯s something important I need to discuss with you." Tsunade crossed her arms on the table, "Team 7 has been without a Jonin for a while now. Kakashi¡¯s been busy training and doing missions, so he doesn¡¯t have time to continue as your Jonin Instructor.¡±


    "Recently, the higher-ups have been searching for a new Jonin Instructor for Team 7, as well as a recement for Uchiha Sasuke''s position."


    "Oh."


    "Oh?" Tsunade frowned, "That¡¯s your reaction?"


    "What else should it be?" Naruto replied, "Isn¡¯t it good to have a new Jonin Instructor to lead my team? I¡¯m tired of being a temporary worker. If I continue like this, I will die of exhaustion sooner orter."


    "Get Getting more while doing less, reaping without sowing, that¡¯s my ninja way."


    "I really want to crush you to pieces and bury you, Uzumaki Naruto." Tsunade said through gritted teeth, "You..."


    Taking a deep breath, Tsunade calmed herself and slowly exhaled. She took a sip of hot tea, her eyes flicking toward Naruto. She then said, "You¡¯re responsible for telling Sakura what I just said and makes her ept this fact. Team 7 has to be reorganized. The higher-ups can''t let Team 7 remain idle like this."


    "Why do I have to tell her?" Naruto asked in confusion.


    He really didn''t want to have any contact with Sakura. Just thinking about the few times they had met made him feel scared.


    "Hmm?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "If it''s not you, a member of Team 7, who''s telling it to her, do you want me, her teacher, to do it?"

 Chapter 169 Wanting to Summon Katsuyu

    Chapter 169 Wanting to Summon Katsuyu


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    "Alright," Naruto replied with a sheepish grin, "I''ll go talk to her."


    Then, noticing the empty teacup on Tsunade''s desk, he instinctively asked, "Where is Shizune-san?"


    "She¡¯s sulking at home." Tsunade saidzily, leaning back in her Hokage chair,pletely disregarding her voluptuous figure.


    Naruto pursed his lips, thinking, ¡®Since I was already here and had more tasks to doter, I might as well try to get some benefits from Tsunade before leaving.¡¯


    In line with the principle that a thief never leaves empty-handed, he moved closer, boiling water for tea, and started massaging Tsunade''s shoulders.


    "Hmm~!" Tsunade let out a satisfied hum, allowing Naruto''s hands to knead her shoulders, "I didn''t expect you to be so skillful with your hands, keep going, don''t stop."


    "It is an honor to serve you, Tsunade-sama."


    "Hmm, finally saying something decent. That¡¯s rare." Tsunade closed her eyes infort, and the tiredness and exhaustion from working for many days were melting away.


    "Hehe." Naruto kept his hands moving, standing behind Tsunade and talking to her shoulder, "Tsunade-sama, what do you think of my performance on the missions these days?"


    Tsunade leaned back in her Hokage chair, her green robe shifting, revealing arge expanse of her fair skin.


    "100%pletion rate, but a 60%int rate¡­ It¡¯s barely eptable. Anyway, as long as the missions arepleted, it¡¯s fine. Most of the clients whoined aren¡¯t in their right minds, so don¡¯t worry about them."


    "Don¡¯t take those evaluations to heart. Just do things your way."


    Naruto wasn¡¯t bothered by theints. Others might treat clients like they were gods, fearful of upsetting them. But Naruto didn''t care about them and always treated clients like dogs.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t short on money, nor did he care about the Shinobi assessment. He also has Tsunade to protect him, so his only goal as a Shinobi was to maintain his bad attitude.


    "By the way... Tsunade-sama, I want to learn how to summon Katsuyu."


    "Hmm?" Tsunade opened her eyes a little, turned her eyes slightly, and asked in doubts, "Why did you suddenly want to contract a Summoned Beast?"


    "Well... it¡¯s because I don¡¯t have one." Naruto replied a bit sheepishly and stopped his massage, only to be met with a re from Tsunade.


    "What are you stopping for? Keep going."


    "Okay." Naruto obediently continued, "Last time I saw Tsunade-sama''s Katsuyu, it was very good. Katsuyu is gentle, and I like Summoned Beasts that are polite and ready toe whenever I call."


    "Heh." Tsunade nced at him with narrowed eyes, and exposed his lie mercilessly, "Before, when Jiraiya asked you to go with him to train, you refused to go."


    "I don''t know why you¡¯re so insistent on staying in the vige. If you had gone with him, you could summon any toad from Mount Myoboku at will. You could call whichever one you wanted."


    "Tsunade-sama, even though I¡¯m still young, you can¡¯t fool me." Naruto retorted without reducing the strength in his hands, "I¡¯ve seen those toads before, and they have terrible tempers."


    "If I were to summon one of those, who knows how long we¡¯d end up fighting. I wouldn¡¯t stop until I beat them down."


    "You¡­" Tsunade was speechless, but when she thought that Naruto could even control Kyubi, she suddenly felt that he might be telling the truth.


    ¡®People with strong desires for control can¡¯t stand others being stronger than them. What''s more, this kid is an old scoundrel, the kind of person who can wait ten years to take revenge.¡¯


    "So you want to summon Katsuyu?" Tsunade asked.


    "Yes." He admitted honestly.


    "That''s not impossible, but there''s one thing I want you to understand." Tsunade kindly cautioned, "Even if Katsuyu is gentle, it depends on the person. She has her own temper too.."


    "For example, she calls me ''Tsunade-sama¡¯, but if you summon her, you must address her as ¡®Katsuyu-sama'' unless she acknowledges you. Only then will she call you ''Naruto-sama."


    "Is that so?" Naruto pondered for a moment, then asked again, "If I start by calling Katsuyu-sama, and then she eventually calls me ''Naruto-sama¡¯, wouldn¡¯t that feel a bit strange?"


    "Katsuyu has a very long lifespan, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that." Tsunade remarked with a sharp tongue, "By the time you turned to dust, Katsuyu will still be alive."


    "Turning into dust... Fine." Naruto sighed, epting his fate.


    "Since you¡¯re that eager to learn, I¡¯ll teach you." Tsunade said, tilting her head back, causing the scene to suddenly be dangerous, "You don''t have to be my disciple, and I can''t afford to ept a shameless person like you as a student."


    Hearing this, Naruto silently grumbled to himself, ¡®I wasn¡¯t too keen on bing your student anyway. It was too much of a loss to exchange a Summoning Technique for calling you master.¡¯


    "But I have one condition." Tsunade continued, her voice drawing his attention upward as her ample chest swayed slightly, forcing Naruto to focus on the ceiling while he kept massaging her shoulders.


    "What condition?"


    "The next time Jiraiya tries to teach you Senjutsu, you have to learn it seriously." Tsunade said with serious tone, "You can be as stubborn as you want about everything else, but on this, you have to agree."


    "Senjutsu? What is that?" Naruto feigned ignorance.


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that right now. You¡¯ll understand when the timees." Tsunade sighed, pointing a delicate finger to a specific spot on her shoulder, signaling Naruto to press there.


    "Alright, but if Pervy Sage knows that Senjutsu, howe you don¡¯t, Tsunade-sama?" he asked.


    "You brat, do you think that Senjutsu are so easy to learn? You little¡­!" Tsunade retorted, clearly irritated, "Don''t think of that technique as something simple!"


    "Understood." Naruto replied, bowing his head in understanding.


    Before long, Tsunade, her shoulderspletely rxed, leaned back in her Hokage chair with a satisfied expression. She raised one hand and waved at Naruto, then saidzily, "Alright, that¡¯s enough for today. I need to catch up on some sleep."


    "As for the summoning scroll, we¡¯ll discuss itter. You¡¯ve still got a long vacation ahead, so in a few days, ask Shizune to arrange a time to see me. I¡¯ll teach you the Summoning Technique and help you contract with Katsuyu."


    Naruto acknowledged and slowly backed out of the room.


    Walk out of the Hokage Building.


    Leaving the Hokage Tower, Naruto felt a mix of relief and aplishment. Securing the right to summon Katsuyu meant he¡¯d have a mobile healer with him in the future. With Kurama no longer inside him, his ability to recover from injuries had significantly diminished.


    So, to be on the safe side, he can only get himself a healer to take care of him, so that his chances of survival will be higher.


    Naruto, with a refreshed look on his face, walked slowly along the streets of Konoha. Suddenly, he remembered what Tsunade said about Team 7, and his brows furrowed.


    ¡®I had to break the news to Sakura, but now I wonder what her current situation was like. Thest time, I had avoided her like the gue, but now, fate seemed to have brought me back to her.¡¯


    After wandering outside the Konoha Hospital for a long time, Naruto still couldn¡¯t muster up the courage to go inside.


    ¡®But Team 7 will be reorganized sooner orter, it is a fate that cannot be avoided.¡¯ Thinking of this, Naruto gritted his teeth, deciding that at most, he just had to be more careful, and then walked into the Konoha Hospital.


    Inside the duty room, buried under a mountain of paperwork, Sakura looked up, a soft smile ying on her lips.


    "You came to see me?"


    Hearing this eerie opening line, half of Naruto¡¯s body immediately went numb.

 Chapter 170 Dark Sakura

    Chapter 170 Dark Sakura


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    Naruto gulped and took a seat on the edge of the chair.


    ¡®Dark Sakura¡¯ looks very normal on weekdays. But her terrifying sidey in howposed and restrained she was, only revealing her extreme nature to Naruto.


    Because of this, tried to tell someone about it, no one would believe him.


    It was one of those situations where it took a unique person to handle another unique person. Despite being a notorious rule-breaker, Naruto felt a bit uneasy around ¡®Dark Sakura¡¯.


    "Would you like some water?" Sakura handed over a ss of water, which seemed to be cold.


    "Cough."


    In the small duty room, the curtains were drawn, but the sunlight was mostly blocked by stacks of files, leaving only slivers of light creeping in, casting chaotic reflections on the white walls.


    One of those reflections hit the table, right at the edge of the disposable cup. Naruto frowned, suddenly connecting the scene with an unsettling thought.


    "You don¡¯t need to be so guarded around me. There¡¯s no poison or anything strange in the water." Sakura said, looking up with a smile, "It''spletely pure."


    "I can¡¯t really believe those wordsing from you." Naruto paused before continuing, "I came here today to discuss something serious. Maybe I¡¯ll drink the water another time."


    "What serious matter?" Sakura stopped flipping through the papers, "Are you finally going to ept my previous proposal?"


    "Absolutely not." Naruto shook his head, "Tsunade-sama mentioned that Team 7 will be reorganized in a while, and Kakashi-sensei will not have time to continue to serve as our Jonin Instructor."


    "In a while, the higher-ups will likely assign a new Jonin Instructor and teammate. By then, Team 7 will probably start taking on missions again."


    "I see." Sakura responded simply, her eyes fixed on Naruto''s face, "If Team 7 is reorganized, you won¡¯t be able to avoid me anymore, right?"


    "I haven¡¯t been avoiding you, I¡¯ve just been busy." Naruto replied calmly, "Sakura, you¡¯ve been busy with your training too, right? With such situation, it¡¯s not unusual that we haven¡¯t kept in touch."


    Hearing him say this, Sakura nodded slightly.


    "What you¡¯re saying makes sense, but I don¡¯t like that excuse. It will make me feel that you are seriously perfunctory to me, and that¡¯s even more ufortable, don¡¯t you think?"


    "I would rather you admit that you¡¯re afraid I might do something extreme, and honestly warn me not to do anything weird, or you''ll find a way to erase me."


    "Uh, why would you think that?" Naruto scooted back a bit, leaning against the cold chair back. He looked at Sakura with aplicated look.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how to handle ¡®Dark Sakura¡¯. So far, she hadn¡¯t shown any signs of aggression. He had avoided her for a while, but now he had no choice but to face her head-on.


    "It¡¯s just the truth. You don¡¯t need to be so tense." Sakura said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I told you from the start, I don¡¯t intend to do anything."


    "I¡¯m very satisfied with my life right now, and I have no desire to harm you. In fact, I cherish you very much, Naruto-kun."


    "Stop! Don¡¯t say such creepy things." Naruto took a sharp breath, "Now that things havee to this, I have nothing more to say. No matter what, I still treat you as Sakura."


    ¡°Physically, yes¡± she added.


    "There¡¯s no need to emphasize that." Naruto said, gripping the cup of water as the surface rippled slightly, "If you can forget about those things, then just do it as quickly as possible. There¡¯s no point dwelling on them."


    "You said you wanted me to remember you because, deep down, you¡¯re afraid that one day Sakura might suddenly wake up, and you¡¯ll be forced to fall asleep. You¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll have to give up this life and be just an observer, or worse, you might disappear entirely."


    The smile on Sakura''s face vanished, she turned her head, and said with Naruto''s face reflected in her calm ck eyes, "That''s the only thing I don''t like about you."


    Naruto noticed that Sakura was no longerposed, and he realized he had touched a nerve. This allowed him to rx a bit, and he smiled as he asked, "Because I understand things too well?"


    "No." Sakura denied, "I just don¡¯t like your condescending attitude, talking about being afraid of disappearing. How would you know what I think if you¡¯ve never experienced it?"


    "Are you afraid of death?" She asked.


    Naruto¡¯s expression froze. He noticed that Sakura¡¯s demeanor was a bit strange, in a way he couldn¡¯t quite ce.


    After a moment, he gathered his thoughts and answered, "I¡¯m not that afraid, but there¡¯s still a lot I haven¡¯t experienced, so I¡¯d like to live a good life."


    "That¡¯s very much like you." Sakuramented, "I''m not afraid of death either. To be precise, I don¡¯t have a concept of it. I¡¯m very content with my life right now."


    "But does it really matter if such daysst one more or one less? Do you understand?"


    "Because you can''t feel the meaning of life?" Naruto asked.


    "Something like that." Sakura murmured, pressing her lips together, "At first, it was quite exciting to gain control of the body, but after a while, that excitement faded."


    "So, I started looking for some meaning in living. For instance, if she liked Sasuke-kun, then I thought maybe I could make Naruto-kun like me."


    "Wait a minute." Naruto interrupted Sakura, frowning as he felt something was off, " Sakura likes Sasuke, so you want me to like you?"


    "What kind of twisted logic is that? There''s no connection between the two, is there?"


    "So do you like her?" Sakura asked. The ¡®she¡¯ she was referring to was probably the ¡®Pink Sakura¡¯.


    "I don''t like her." Naruto shook his head without hesitation, "Companions arepanions, and even if I want to like someone else, I have other people to like. There''s no need to hang myself on a single tree."


    Hearing this, Sakura was stunned for a moment, then burst into loudughter. Herughter echoed through the small duty room, tears welling up in her eyes.


    "You really live with such rity."


    Naruto chuckled as well, "It''s just that I never had that thought from the beginning, and besides, a forced melon isn¡¯t sweet."


    "It''s nice to have many options," Sakura murmured.


    "That kind of thing is not important, let''s not talk about it anymore." Naruto instinctively changed the subject, "What you really want is to find joy in living, right?"


    "Hmm." Sakura pondered for a moment before responding, "I''m quite happy right now, so I''m not nning on trying anything new. The only person left who I¡¯m familiar with is you, so¡­"


    ¡®So you''re using me as an experiment? What kind of human observation experiment is this?¡¯ Narutoined wildly in his mind, ck lines forming on his forehead. He took a few deep breaths to calm down.


    ¡°Have you ever heard the story of the mayfly?¡±


    "No." Sakura shook her head and pointed to her head, "She may have heard it, but I can''t ess most of her memories. They''re mostly about Sasuke, which I don''t enjoy."


    "Well, since we have time, let me tell you." Naruto said, realizing that ¡®Dark Sakura¡¯ wasn''t as dark as he had initially thought, which allowed him to rx.


    "Sure." Sakura stopped what she was doing and sat up straight.


    Naruto simply told the story of the Mayfly Monster in the Fairies Albums, without embellishing it or adding his personal spin, simply because he was in a good mood and wanted to share the tale. (T/N: https://myanimelist/anime/41224/Bai_Yao_Pu)

 Chapter 171 Born in The Morning and Died in The Evening

    Chapter 171 Born in The Morning and Died in The Evening


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    ¡°Mayflies only live for one day?¡±


    "¡­ Yes, now please don''t interrupt me and let me finish."


    "I knew where the sun would rise before, but I had never seen it. Now I have seen it."


    "But it¡¯s not like the sun shines every day," Naruto said, taking a moment before continuing, not caring where the story had left off, "Sometimes it rains."


    "I¡¯ve seen that too. It¡¯s pretty nice, very different from the memories I have from her," Sakura said.


    "Have you seen the sunrise? If you stand on Hokage Rock and look out, you can see the edge of the Konoha Forest. It¡¯s all misty, like frost." Naruto asked with a smile, as if showing off.


    "No."


    "What about waterfalls?"


    "No, the hospital has been busy, and I have to train too. If I take time off, I still have to be on duty at night, but I can''t say I''m tired. It feels quite novel."


    The two chatted casually, and the story Naruto was telling trailed off halfway through.


    They talked about the fireworks festival, and Sakura mentioned how she had seen the fireworks rising from her window. They were beautiful, though they didn¡¯t evoke many emotions in her, just a sense that they looked nice.


    "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see them during missionster." Narutoforted her.


    "I understand." Sakura suddenly stood up, startling him, "I know what to do now."


    "What?" Naruto instinctively felt that something was off with how things were unfolding.


    "I¡¯m still going to make you fall for me." Sakura picked up the pen and pointed the sharp tip at him from a distance, "This way, things will be interesting."


    "Interesting? Are you misunderstanding something?" Naruto also stood up and took two steps back.


    He just wanted a normal teammate, and things had been clearly moving slowly along the lines of a typicalrade bond, ¡®I tried to activate her yearning forpanionship, but now it seemed like¡­¡¯


    "It¡¯s okay if you like someone else. I¡¯ll just be the backup girlfriend."


    "Cough cough!!!" Naruto couldn''t hold it in and started coughing violently, "You¡­ Cough cough!!! What did you say!?"


    "You better calm down, Sakura!"


    "I am calm." Sakura replied, her eyes reflecting the piles of documents around them, "The book says that doing things secretly behind everyone¡¯s back is the most thrilling."


    "What... What kind of book are you reading?"


    "A book?" Hearing this, Sakura turned around and took out a copy of Icha-Icha Paradise from the drawer.


    Seeing this, Naruto felt a heavy blow to his heart. He had always acknowledged Jiraiya¡¯s writing skills. The way he yed with the concept of forbidden love was a big part of its best-selling appeal.


    Faced with this backstab from his pervert master¡¯s work, Naruto opened his mouth, trying to salvage the situation before it got any weirder or more twisted.


    "Wait a minute! Hold on, something¡¯s not right here!"


    ¡°I can ept¡­¡±


    "Stop! Don''t repeat that!" Naruto took a deep breath. He finally realized what was the most terrifying thing about Sakura. In that moment, he had actually felt himself wavering.


    ¡®Terrifying! Too terrifying!!!¡¯


    "Don¡¯t you want it? On the surface, we¡¯re just closepanions, but secretly, I¡¯d actually be yours." Sakura''s words were like the whisper of a devil.


    "I don¡¯t like that idea, but if it¡¯s Naruto-kun, I could make an exception."


    "What?" He was stunned, his mind going nk.


    "Let''s do something strange together." Sakura said, stepping closer.


    "Wait, this isn''t how it should be!" Naruto tried to back away, but he bumped into the back of a chair, and with a slight push from Sakura, he found himself sitting down.


    "Sakura¡­ You¡­"


    Sakura leaned over him, standing in front of him, her pale arms reaching out to grasp Naruto''s hand. The warmth of her palm, slightly moist and slick, sent a jolt through him.


    "Since she''spletely hiding away, I have the right to use this body too." She said this, biting the tip of her other finger.


    "Remember me well."


    Before Naruto could say anything, Sakura intertwined their fingers, locking them together. Her blue-green eyes gazed at him as she parted her lips, licking the tip of his index finger before biting down.


    A sharp pain shot through his fingertip, snapping Naruto out of his daze as his pupils dted.


    "I don''t think this is a good idea at all."


    He gently pushed Sakura away, taking a deep breath as if he''d never breathed before, and his mind suddenly bing clear.


    "Don''t worry, I won''tpete with Ino for the first ce." Sakura said, her arms falling to her sides, with a rxed smile on her face, "I don''t have feelings like ''love¡¯, so you don''t need to worry."


    "I just wanted to try it out. No one will know. Think of it as a practice run."


    ¡°This isn''t right!¡±


    Although Naruto''s moral bottom line is somewhat flexible, that only applied to strangers. To hispanions, he is still rtively sincere, and this wasn''t just a matter of whether it was right or wrong.


    Sakura waspletely missing the point of what she truly wanted.


    "Why?" Sakura was a little puzzled, "Do you still care more about her? But she''s already hidden away because of Sasuke. Are you still going to hold on?"


    "This has nothing to do with that." Naruto replied.


    Naruto didn''t really care if Dark Sakura would disappear or when she would disappear. He just regarded her as Sakura, whether she was pink or dark was irrelevant, she was just hispanion, Sakura.


    People get troubled because they think too much.


    Naruto just needed to cut through the confusion, shutting out all unnecessary worries. If Sakura wanted life to be more interesting, he''d show her more interesting things.


    But he wouldn''t stand by and watch as she continued down this path of ignorance.


    In short, as long as Dark Sakura could stillmunicate, then things are still manageable. They just need to gradually work things out and guide her toward a path of bing a normal and reliablepanion.


    "Why? If you agree, I can help with Ino, too. Although I''ve been too busy with work to really connect with hertely¡­" Sakura said with a smile.


    ¡°But I can reach out to her.¡±


    "There''s really no need." Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself down and said, "It''s not that I find your suggestion outrageous, because I''m not a good person either."


    "But this isn''t just some simple experiment. You''re right, all I''d have to do is say yes. I could try it with you without feeling any guilt and without losing anything."


    "To be honest, this has nothing to do with Sasuke. Sasuke chose his own path, and I''m not going after him. Let him go. Maybe because of that, Sakura was hurt and decided to hide, giving you control of the body."


    "But these are not important. They''re two separate things. I hope you can live every day well. I don''t know if you''ll disappear or when you''ll disappear."


    "Until then, you''re my most trustedpanion. I''ll remember you forever, and when I die, I''ll have your name etched on my tombstone. You''ll exist forever."


    Mayflies are born in the morning and die in the evening. Humans only live for a hundred years and each has his or her own way of living.


    Sakura stood there without moving, leaning on the edge of the table in silence for a long time. After about five minutes, she raised her head with a smile on her face.


    "Okay."

 Chapter 172 Winter

    Chapter 172 Winter


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    Naruto left Konoha Hospital at noon, and the autumn sun was hanging in the sky.


    When he reached the edge of the hospital¡¯s outer wall, he stopped and slumped against the old structure, sitting down weakly, ¡®Dark Sakura¡¯ was getting more and more out of hand, almost unsettling my focus. Who could withstand that?¡¯


    ¡®But now that I thought about it, Dark Sakura was also quite pitiful. However, I couldn''t voice such thoughts. Everyone had their own fate to deal with.¡¯


    ¡®All in all, Sakura''s problem had seen a positive start, and the reformation of Team 7 seemed to being along smoothly.¡¯


    After returning home, Naruto copsed directly onto the sofa.


    Kurama nced at him but said nothing. He knew that Naruto had a few days off, and since that guy usually justzed around when there was nothing to do, it was already used to it.


    It was a strange holiday indeed and Naruto spent the entire seven days lounging.


    Because of the reformation of Team 7, Tsunade hadn''t assigned any new missions to Naruto, giving him time to train. After all, Jiraiya had returned to the vige.


    On the rooftop.


    "What exactly is Senjutsu?" Naruto asked with a yawn.


    "Hmm?" Jiraiya put away the telescope and turned his head to nce at him, "Tsunade has already told me about it, but it''s not that easy to train Senjutsu."


    "You need toy a solid foundation first before even thinking about Senjutsu."


    "It''s not like I want to learn Senjutsu." Naruto said dismissively, picking his nose, "But Tsunade-sama is forcing me to learn it, saying if I don''t, she''ll send me out on missions."


    "You brat, you''re really picky about what you want to learn. Do you know how many people would kill to have the Toad Sage as their master? And you''reining?"


    "I don''t care about that stuff. I just want to do whatever''s easier." Naruto said nonchntly.


    "But, Pervy Sage," Naruto looked up, "You probably don''t have much time to stay in the vige, right? No matter what you teach me, there won''t be enough time."


    "No, I just came back to supervise you until you learn the Rasengan." Jiraiya waved his hand and said.


    "Oh, right, I almost forgot, there''s that Rasengan thing." Naruto nodded, sitting cross-legged on the rooftop, "I haven''t practiced it since we got back from Tanzaku Town."


    "You little brat¡­ Don''t you have any shame at all?" Jiraiya knocked Naruto on the head with his telescope, "How can you be an outstanding Shinobi if you are sozy?"


    "Outstanding? Shinobi?" Naruto turned his head and squinted at Jiraiya, "You mean a perverted Shinobi?"


    "Such disrespect!" Jiraiya muttered as he put away the telescope. He nced reluctantly at the women''s bathhouse and said with a sigh, "I can''t stay for long. Uchiha Itachi''s whereabouts are unknown. And this time I went out, I only managed to uncover a name, Akatsuki. As for the others, I found nothing."


    "After this winter, I will have to go out and gather more intel in the spring of next year."


    "Is that so?" Naruto yawned, his expression showing a trace of boredom, "Then go gather your intel. Just don''t take unnecessary risks."


    Jiraiya didn''t take it seriously andughed.


    "I''m the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, how could anything possibly happen to me? I''ve traveled around the world for decades without a hitch, relying only on three things!"


    "Drinking, chasing women, and shamelessness?" Naruto asked leisurely.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Naturally, it''s caution, caution, and more caution!" Jiraiya said, "If you are out there collecting intelligence, one slip-up could cost your life."


    "Got it." Naruto saidzily.


    Thete autumn sun was warm, no longer scorching. Time flowed like water, trickling away with each day of training, rising with the steam from the ramen shop and drifting into the distance.


    ¡­


    In the blink of an eye, it is already deep winter.


    The sky is gray and it looks like it''s going to snow again.


    Naruto stood beneath the red walls and green tiles, his feet buried in ayer of snow that reached his ankles. He had grown taller, his face gradually showing the youthful vigor of a young man.


    The slightly thin body stood in the cold wind, d in ck training clothes, seemingly waiting for someone.


    Jiraiya appeared from the entrance of the alley, walked up to him and said, "It''s gettingte. The sooner we finish training, the sooner we can head back. I''m leaving the vige tomorrow."


    The wind howled, the night air biting cold, as if it could freeze a person into a coffin.


    "Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Naruto was a little confused, "The New Year''s Festival is just around the corner. Can''t you wait a few more days before leaving?"


    "What''s there to wait for?" Jiraiya looked up at the sky, brushing the small snowkes off his shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of reproach, "I''m just a lonely old man during the New Year''s Festival, nothing special to celebrate. It just so happens that the Land of Wind¡¯s Customs Store is holding a New Year''s Festival that I want to check out."


    "You Pervy Sage, I suspect you went out just to have fun." Naruto retorted mercilessly, "You can''t even wait for a New Year''s Festival? You''re definitely just a dirty old man."


    "The vige received new intel. The situation in the Land of Wind is unstable. That Jinchuriki brat seems to be having trouble and is about to lose his position as the sessor of Kazekage. Now, it looks like something big is happening."


    Jiraiya''s expression turned serious and he spoke in a low voice, "The vige¡¯s higher-ups wants to help that brat, who has a favorable view of Konoha, seed as the Kazekage, so they¡¯re sending me to gather intel and handle the situation. I need to go and see what''s going on."


    "Isn''t that basically interfering with the internal affairs of other countries?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? I was just there to gather information. I''mpletely innocent." Jiraiya argued, "Gaara bing Kazekage would benefit the people of both the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire."


    "At the very least, it could bring peace between the two countries for decades, if not a century. It''s something worth doing."


    "This sounds boring. But if you want to do it, Pervy Sage, then go for it." Naruto said, shrugging, "Whatever the meaning of being a Shinobi is, I totally don''t get it."


    "You are such a jerk..." Jiraiya calmed down, pointed at Naruto andughed, "Do I need to exin myself to a brat like you?"


    "The adult world is very dull. You have to bear responsibilities wherever you go, so I won''t take you with me this time."


    If Jiraiya wanted to, he could still take the Jinchuriki out of the Land of Wind alone. After all, with Jiraiya''s qualifications, he was a master-level figure even as an intelligence Shinobi.


    "Whatever." Naruto said, waving his hand, " Let''s make today ourst training session. Pervy Sage, let me show you what a perfect Rasengan looks like!"

 Chapter 173 New

    Chapter 173 New


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    Arriving at the training ground in the snow-covered forest, Naruto saw the new wooden stakes that had just been reced from afar. He slowly walked to the center of the field and stopped.


    Turning to look at the sluggishly approaching Jiraiya, Naruto suddenly asked, "Since this is actualbat training, does that mean everything should be as realistic as possible? I mean, should we just go all out?"


    "Go all out?" Jiraiya, still oblivious to the potential seriousness of the situation, casually replied, "Whatever, you can fight however you want."


    With that said, Jiraiya extended one hand, and a smug smile appeared on his face.


    "I''ll let you make the first move."


    "Okay." Naruto smiled. Without any shadow clones, he formed a Rasengan with a single hand and charged in a curved line, shouting, "You old geezer, get ready to meet your doom!"


    Jiraiya''s eyebrows furrowed at those words, and his fists clenched tightly.


    "Watch your mouth!"


    With a few swift movements, Jiraiya dodged andnded a solid kick on Naruto''s wrist. The Rasengan lost control and smashed into the snow-covered ground, creating arge crater!


    "Ouch! Weren''t you the one who said to make it realistic?" Naruto clutched his wrist, grimacing in pain.


    "Well, it was pretty realistic, at least the pain you''re feeling is real." Jiraiya said, patting the snow off his hands, "Let''s call it a day. The snow is getting heavier."


    "At least you''ve mastered the Rasengan. Your efforts throughout the winter weren''t in vain."


    "Only someone as exceptionally talented as me could learn a Ninjutsu this quickly." Naruto boasted without a hint of modesty. But his speed in mastering the technique was indeed impressive.


    At least for now, the only people who know how to use the Rasengan are Jiraiya and him. If a battle breaks out, when facing the enemy, this technique could catch opponents off guard and deal significant damage.


    "More or less, you''re getting there." Jiraiya scratched his head.


    The wind grew stronger, and the snow continued to fall. The two began making their way back, their surroundings a nket of white. Other than the sound of the wind and their footsteps crunching in the snow, there was almost no other noise.


    It felt as if the entire world had quieted down. Naruto walked in silence ahead, while Jiraiya trailed behind by a couple of paces, his steps alternating between deep and shallow in the snow. asionally, he would snap a twig underfoot, producing a crisp crack.


    As they returned to the vige, the surroundings began to be lively.


    Children, bundled up in thick hats and gloves, ran through the streets, wrestling and shouting out lines from Shinobi games. They grabbed handfuls of snow, pretending they were shuriken.


    Jiraiya and Naruto stood on the side of the street, watching for a while as the children threw snowballs against the red walls. The tiles on the old walls were knocked loose and fell onto the thickyer of snow, but no one paid any attention.


    Watching this scene in front of him, Naruto was reminded of Mo Shanshan and the red walls nketed in white snow. He found it amusing and smiled to himself.


    Suddenly, Jiraiya, standing beside him, patted Naruto on the shoulder. Naruto turned around, noticing the awkward smile on Jiraiya''s face, with a mix of embarrassment and unease.


    Seeing this, Naruto was slightly taken aback and asked, "What''s wrong with you, Pervy Sage?"


    "That¡­" Jiraiya pointed at the group of children ying, the same awkward smile still on his face.


    Naruto blinked his eyes. He had seen that smile in his previous life. It was a winter night when his grandfather, who had been missing for five years, was brought back by the local police station.


    His grandfather''s army coat, shiny with wear, was dusted with snow. His frostbitten hands, swollen and red, clutched a toy meant for a seven-year-old child, yet he handed it over to the sixteen-year-old Naruto standing before him.


    With that same awkward, almost pleading smile on his face, Jiraiya struggled to catch his breath as he spoke, "Why don¡¯t you y with them?"


    "What?" Naruto snapped out of his thoughts, his voice a little hoarse, and he coughed and asked again.


    Jiraiya let out a dryugh, still pointing at the children throwing snowballs. With a hint of restraint, he asked, ¡°Did you y like that with your friends when you were a kid?¡±


    "Yeah."


    "That''s good, that''s good." Jiraiya retracted his hand, showed another awkward smile, and then started walking toward the izakaya, shouting loudly, "Honestly, in this weather, nothing beats a good drink!"


    Naruto stood there, not watching Jiraiya leave, nor making a sound. His face remained expressionless until the snow had fully covered his shoulders, and only then did he slowly walk away.


    ¡®Whatever would happen in the future could be dealt withter, but Akatsuki really has no meaning to exist.¡¯


    ¡®I might as well kill them all when I have time.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t care about their grievances or deep-seated grudges, he just wanted to kill them all. Standing in front of the enemy''s tombstone and repenting was always the most pious moment.


    As he trudged through the snow back home, the key turned in the lock, but before he could open the door, it was suddenly opened from the inside.


    Ino, wearing a green apron, pulled the door open. Her hair was slightly messy, and underneath the apron, she wore a thick pink sweater. She looked a bit surprised when she saw Naruto.


    Naruto was also momentarily stunned. For the past few months, he had been training non-stop with Jiraiya. Basically, except for eating and sleeping, he spent almost all his time training.


    He trained everything, from Taijutsu to Genjutsu, and the Rasengan. The effect was of course very significant.


    An old veteran like Jiraiya, who has quick reactions and plenty of experience, has an endless variety of tricks in battle. Naruto was beaten for a month before he slowly adapted to it.


    Hisst training session earlier that day had been to let off some steam, which was why he cheekily called Jiraiya an old geezer. But he didn¡¯t expect to get beaten up again.


    "What brings you here?" Naruto asked with a smile.


    "I just felt likeing." Ino pulled him inside, tugging at his sleeve with one hand while brushing the snow off his shoulders with the other, "Training again?"


    "How do you know?"


    "You¡¯ve been missing for two or three months, so how could I not know? You really underestimate Jiraiya-sama''s reputation." Ino ced a pair of slippers in front of him and said, "Hurry and change your shoes."


    With that said, Ino hurried off to the kitchen.


    Naruto was still a bit dazed, unsure of what had gotten into Ino today. He walked into the living room in a daze and stood there for a while. Kurama was curled up on his little sofa, already asleep, his belly rising and falling gently.


    In the kitchen, water was boiling, and the soup in the pot was starting to bubble, releasing wisps of white steam.


    In the living room, under the warm yellow light, Naruto stared at the kitchen for a long time. Ino walked up to him, frowned, and stared at him for a moment before reaching out to touch his forehead.


    "What''s wrong? Did you turn into a fool? Are you obsessed with my beauty?"


    "What day is it today?"


    "It''s the New Year''s Eve." Ino sighed as she looked at Naruto, "I knew you¡¯d forget, so I came here specially. How is it?"


    "Without me, someone would¡¯ve perfectly missed the New Year''s Festival."


    "Isn''t the New Year''s Festival in a few days?" Naruto asked after being stunned for a while.


    "You''ve really mix up the dates, haven''t you?" Ino said, with her hands on her hips, and snorted, "Training must''ve fried your brain. At this rate, I''m afraid no one will want you anymore."


    "Thank you, Ino."


    "There''s no need to thank me specifically for this kind of thing¡­ When you say it like that¡­" Ino''s face turned a bit red, and she mumbled, " It feels a bit awkward, like... like¡­"


    ¡°It¡¯s as if¡±


    Ino''s voice became too soft for Naruto to hear. He was already rolling up his sleeves, heading for the kitchen, ¡®As expected, Ino''s culinary skills were quite limited. She cooked a lot of soup in one pot.¡¯


    Naruto sighed quietly, took out some ingredients from the fridge, and began cooking himself. Ino, seeing Naruto in the kitchen, sat nervously on the sofa.


    It had taken all her courage toe here today. Even though she had pretended to be calm at the door¡­


    "Ino." Naruto suddenly poked his head out of the kitchen and called out.


    "Ah? What''s wrong?"


    "Come with me to meet someer."


    "Huh? Who?"

 Chapter 174 Meeting Jiraiya Together

    Chapter 174 Meeting Jiraiya Together


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    "Isn''t the New Year''s Festival in a few days?" Naruto asked after being stunned for a while.


    "You''ve really mix up the dates, haven''t you?" Ino said, with her hands on her hips, and snorted, "Training must''ve fried your brain. At this rate, I''m afraid no one will want you anymore."


    "Thank you, Ino."


    "There''s no need to thank me specifically for this kind of thing¡­ When you say it like that¡­" Ino''s face turned a bit red, and she mumbled, " It feels a bit awkward, like... like¡­"


    ¡°It¡¯s as if¡±


    Ino''s voice became too soft for Naruto to hear. He was already rolling up his sleeves, heading for the kitchen, ¡®As expected, Ino''s culinary skills were quite limited. She cooked a lot of soup in one pot.¡¯


    Naruto sighed quietly, took out some ingredients from the fridge, and began cooking himself. Ino, seeing Naruto in the kitchen, sat nervously on the sofa.


    It had taken all her courage toe here today. Even though she had pretended to be calm at the door¡­


    "Ino." Naruto suddenly poked his head out of the kitchen and called out.


    "Ah? What''s wrong?"


    "Come with me to meet someer."


    "Huh? Who?"


    "Pervy Sage."


    "Huh¡­?"


    Ino sat on the sofa, trying to figure out who the Pervy Sage was. Suddenly, it dawned on her that there was only one person in Konoha who would call themselves a Sage, and her eyes widened in shock.


    "Wait¡­ Are you talking about Jiraiya-sama?"


    "Yeah." Naruto leaned against the kitchen doorway, asionally ncing at the pot in the kitchen as he spoke casually, "Besides him, there is no other Pervy Sage in Konoha."


    "But that''s Jiraiya-sama!" Ino''s body stiffened as she widened her eyes, gripping the sofa tightly, "One of the legendary Sannin."


    "What''s so special about that? Haven''t you met another Sannin already? She''s always in the Hokage Tower, it''s not like they¡¯re anything rare."


    Ino was speechless, and when she turned around, she saw that Naruto had already gone back to the kitchen to continue his work.


    "Of course, it seems ordinary to you, but she''s the Hokage no matter what." Ino murmured to herself as she watched the drunken Kurama lying on the sofa, "It''s a rare thing to see her even once before a mission. Since Tsunade-sama became Hokage, I¡¯ve only seen her a few times in totals."


    "You might not think much of Tsunade-sama, but it''s not easy to meet the Hokage whenever you want. You¡¯re thinking too simply."


    "I don''t know, maybe, because we¡¯re closer." Naruto''s voice came from the kitchen, "Anyway, you will understand when you meet him. Pervy Sage is not that great, he''s just like any other person."


    "Even if you say that, I¡¯ll still be nervous." Ino clenched and unclenched her hands, then looked back toward the kitchen, asking, "Should we bring a gift? Isn''t today New Year''s Eve?"


    "I actually forgot about this, and I don''t have anything prepared now, so forget it." Naruto said as he stirred the soup, "Let¡¯s just bring some food with us, he won''t mind."


    "Sigh¡­ I suddenly don''t feel like going¡­" Ino flopped onto the sofa, her face buried in a pillow as she began to feel her face heat up.


    The kitchen was filled with bubbling sounds, and it seemed Naruto was chopping vegetables. The rapid sound of a knife on a cutting board mixed with the sound of sizzling oil as the freshly cut meat was dipped in batter and dropped into the hot oil, turning golden and puffy like cotton.


    Even across the living room, Naruto''s voice, mingled with the sizzling oil, reached Ino clearly.


    "I won¡¯t force you to go. It''s just that the Perverted Sage is about to leave on a mission. There won''t be time to spend New Year''s together, and I got the date wrong."


    "I don''t have anything special to give him, so I thought I¡¯d just make some food to bring over. If I go alone, you''ll probably be bored staying here, so why note along?"


    "¡­ Okay." Ino muttered reluctantly.


    After a while, Ino got up from the sofa and hurried into the bathroom. She turned on the light with a click and stood in front of the big mirror in the bathroom. After looking at herself again and again, her face fell instantly.


    "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" Sheined.


    "What?" Naruto¡¯s voice came from the kitchen, but the sizzling sounds were so loud he didn¡¯t hear what Ino had said clearly, "Pink straps?"


    "Go to hell, you pervert!" Ino''s exasperated voice echoed from the bathroom.


    "Weird¡­" Naruto muttered, standing in the kitchen as he took the freshly fried tempura out of the pan. He nced out the window at the gloomy snow-coveredndscape.


    The sun hadn¡¯t set yet, and the kitchen was warm and cozy. From the living room, Naruto heard the sound of footsteps. He turned slightly to see Ino standing at the kitchen doorway, looking nervous and unsure.


    The romanticism of a winter night was perfectly encapsted in the warm, brightly lit living room and the sweater-d girl who couldn¡¯t hide her thoughts. Standing there, all her feelings were written on her face.


    "Isn''t it too casual for me to dress like this? Is it okay to meet Jiraiya-sama dressed like this? It looks so ugly!"


    "How about I go home and change into something else?"


    "What do you think looks good? But I don''t think I have any clothes that are too formal, they all look like this."


    "Huh? Why are you spacing out? Seriously, are you even listening to me?"


    Naruto came back to his senses, calmly lowered his head and turned off the fire. He reached for the te with one hand and said as if nothing had happened, "You look good in anything you wear, there''s no need to dress up."


    "How can you say that?!" Ino¡¯s face turned red, "You can''t meet an elder dressed like this. It¡¯s... too disrespectful."


    "Elder?" Naruto narrowed his eyes as he was about to pick up the soup, ¡°Are you talking about Pervy Sage? I suppose he could be considered an elder, but there''s no need to be so formal."

 Chapter 175 Good Guy

    Chapter 175 Good Guy


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    After dinner.


    "Hurry up!" Ino urged as she stood at the door, holding a food container, her ears slightly red. "We need to get going, or the snow will get heavier if we¡¯re too slow."


    "It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s not going anywhere. At this time, Pervy Sage is just holed up in that izakaya drinking." Naruto repliedzily as he came out of the kitchen after washing the dishes and drying his hands.


    "The brothel isn''t very busy right now, so he won''t leave the izakaya so early."


    Ino: "¡­ There''s no need to exin things like that in such detail. And howe you know so much about the brothel?"


    "What are you thinking about?" Naruto asked, putting on a thick coat and picking up a scarf from the sofa. He nced at Ino and said, "I just know about it. It''s not like I can go to those ces."


    "Who knows!" Ino turned her head away.


    Naruto didn''t say anything, and just handed the scarf to Ino. Then, they slowly made their way out the door.


    Ino was still dressed the same way, and under Naruto''s strong persuasion, she did not waste time going home to change her clothes. She was wrapped in a light-colored coat on the outside and a pink sweater on the inside.


    Her usual lively demeanor was now reced by a somewhat aloof and elegant vibe.


    As they walked down the snow-covered streets, Naruto suddenly opened arge ck umbre with a poof. It was like a ck lotus blooming in the snow, standing out vividly.


    At that moment, Ino''s body was trembling slightly, but it wasn¡¯t just because of the cold. The words Naruto had said at the kitchen door earlier reyed in her mind, making her face feel warm again.


    ¡®This feels almost like meeting the parents¡­¡¯


    Shaking her head, Ino tried her best to dispel the thought, ¡®This was just a chance to meet one of the legendary Sannin. Jiraiya-sama had always been mysterious, so this was just an opportunity to broaden my horizons.¡¯


    ¡®There aren''t many opportunities like this, so stop overthinking.¡¯


    "It''s so cold." Ino exhaled a breath of white air.


    The light snow fell silently on the ck umbre. Naruto turned to look at Ino, tilting the umbre towards her before naturally taking the food container from her hands.


    "The walk is a bit long, let me carry it."


    "Oh."


    Outside the izakaya, Ino paused outside the curtain. Naruto was about to go in when he noticed Ino''s movements and immediately turned back to look at her and asked in confusion, "Why did you stop?"


    "I¡­" Ino lowered her gaze, her fingers twisting together as she spoke nervously, "I''m a little nervous."


    "What''s there to be nervous about? He''s just a Pervy Sage." Naruto nced Ino up and down, reached out and grabbed her hand, and directly led her inside.


    "Eh?" Ino was caught off guard and her body was pulled into the izakaya. At the next moment, her surroundings suddenly became much brighter.


    "Pervy Sage, how many dishes did you drink with?" Naruto put the food container on the table.


    "Why are you here?" Jiraiya raised his head from the table, with a white sake cup ced beside him, reeking of alcohol.


    "I got the date wrong. It''s New Year''s Eve today, so I brought you some food." Naruto replied calmly as he opened the food container, "Are you nning to drink here all night?"


    "How is that possible? Later on, I¡¯m going to the..." A lewd smile appeared on Jiraiya''s drunken face.


    Just as he was about to say something, he noticed a pretty girl standing behind Naruto. He was slightly stunned and immediately swallowed the word ¡®brothel¡¯ that were about toe out of his throat.


    "Who is she?" Jiraiya pointed at Ino and asked.


    "My friend, you should have an impression of the daughter of the Yamanaka n¡¯s n Head."


    Ino''s face was red and her whole body was trembling. She didn''t hear what Naruto and Jiraiya were saying. It wasn¡¯t until Naruto gave her a slight tug that she snapped out of it and quickly raised her head.


    "This is Pervy Sage." Naruto introduced him to Ino, "Say¡­"


    "Hello, Jiraiya-sama!" Ino quickly bowed, looking adorably flustered. "My name is Yamanaka Ino, I¡¯m..."


    "Hahaha!" Jiraiya chuckled, pping his hands as he lightly held the sake bottle, "You are the daughter of that brat from the Yamanaka n, right? How''s your father doing?"


    "He''s doing well, Jiraiya-sama." Ino replied with a smile.


    She immediately felt more at ease. She had never expected that Jiraiya, one of the three legendary Sannin, was so easygoing and would be so easy to talk to. She had been so nervous beforeing in, almost feeling like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.


    Naruto couldn''t help but roll his eyes as he watched the two people''s boring greetings, ¡®Just now, Pervy Sage was definitely about to mention the brothel, right?¡¯


    ¡®Good guy, he actually swallowed that word just to maintain his image.¡¯


    "I''ll go get some juice so we can have a drink with you." Naruto chimed in at the right moment, "While these dishes are still warm, you should try some."


    "Sure." Jiraiya said enthusiastically, putting down the sake bottle. He looked at Ino and added, "No need to be so formal, have a seat."


    Naruto went to get the juice, and Ino smiled, nervously sitting down at the edge of a chair.


    "Are you two living together now?" Jiraiya suddenly asked as he picked up some food with his chopsticks.


    "Ah!" Ino waved her hands quickly, "No! No! It¡¯s just that today is New Year''s Eve, and my parents are busy visiting people. I didn¡¯t really want to go¡­"


    "And I didn''t want to be stuck in the shop either, so I ended up going to his ce by chance!"


    "Oh, by chance, huh?" Jiraiya nodded, "You two have such a good rtionship, it''s really enviable."


    "That¡¯s not really¡­" Ino''s face flushed, and the tips of her ears turned red. She stammered, "Actually¡­ Our rtionship is not that good. We just run into each other sometimes."


    "What rtionship?" Naruto asked, returning with a bottle of juice, casually tossing out the question.


    "N-Nothing!" Ino denied with a red face.


    "What did you ask, Pervy Sage?" Naruto nced at Jiraiya, who was calmly drinking, and asked.

 Chapter 176 Going Home

    Chapter 176 Going Home


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    "I didn''t ask much, I just asked if you two are living together." Jiraiya replied casually.


    "No." Naruto calmly poured juice into both his and Ino''s cups, "Only a Pervy Sage like you would ask such a boring question."


    "I''m just looking out for you." Jiraiya said with a sheepish grin, taking a sip of his drink.


    "Alright, just ask whatever you want." Naruto replied, not wanting to make Jiraiya feel awkward, so he pretended to be indifferent.


    He walked over and sat beside Ino, then looked at Jiraiya and asked, "You¡¯re leaving tomorrow?"


    "Yes." Jiraiya yawned. Since it was a matter concerning the vige''s secrets, he didn''t say much.


    The conversation naturally shifted back to Naruto and Ino, with Jiraiya casually asking some simple questions, like:


    "Did you cook this soup?"


    "No, Ino made it." Naruto answered offhandedly.


    "Oh, I was wondering why it felt special. Did she make it in your kitchen? So you two visit each other often?" Jiraiya, skilled in conversation, expertly continued his line of questioning.


    "Yeah, we hang out often. It''s normal between good friends, right?" Naruto replied seriously.


    Ino, on the other hand, was almost on the verge of tears, sitting ufortably as her face burned with embarrassment. She nced at Jiraiya, then at the calm Naruto, feeling her face grow hotter by the second.


    She secretlyined in her heart, ¡®What do you mean we are good friends?! Couldn¡¯t you just tell a little white lie? Although lying to an elder isn''t good, this is just too embarrassing.¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s definitely doing this on purpose! Foot fetishist! Heartless flirt! Go to hell!¡¯


    "Is that so? Good friends, huh¡­ No wonder you two are so in sync. When did you two meet?" Jiraiya asked casually as he picked up some food.


    "We''ve known each other for a while. We got closer after graduating from the Academy." Naruto answered honestly, sipping his juice.


    Ino, who was standing by, felt so numb from what she heard that she was afraid that Naruto might reveal something inappropriate, so she quickly and stealthily reached under the table, pinching the soft flesh of his waist through his training clothes.


    Thetter remained calm, just smiled as he gave her a quick nce, though his eyelids trembling slightly.


    Seeing this, Ino smirked with satisfaction and pretended as if nothing had happened.


    Under the light, Jiraiya held his cup in one hand, sipping his drink slowly. Watching the two of them interact, a smile formed in his eyes, and he suddenly felt a bit like a parent.


    "You guys were talking about the New Year''s Eve, so logically, we should go to the shrine together. But it''s snowing so heavily outside, so there''s no need for that." Jiraiya remarked.


    Jiraiya never really liked lively events like this. If it weren¡¯t snowing heavily today, he might have considered it. But with the bad weather, forcing a shrine visit didn¡¯t seem appropriate.


    "It really isn''t necessary." Naruto agreed, turning to look out the window. The heavy snow was falling like feathers under the yellow streetlights.


    They stayed a while longer, chatting about lighter topics. With Jiraiya''s vast experiences from his travels, his conversations were always interesting and humorous. As they talked, the atmosphere at the table lightened up, and Ino listened with bright eyes, thoroughly enjoying herself.


    Most of the conversation was between Naruto and Jiraiya, with Ino asionally chiming in. The rest of the time, she quietly listened as an attentive audience.


    This was the first time that Jiraiya found Naruto so pleasing to the eye, and he couldn''t help but feel a rare sense of pride as if this usually heartless kid was finally showing some maturity.


    Happy with the mood, Jiraiya ended up drinking a few more cups.


    Inside the brightly lit izakaya, Jiraiya was getting more intoxicated. Naruto put down his juice cup and suddenly asked, "Pervy Sage, she has been having some trouble in her training. Do you have any good advice?"


    "What kind of trouble?" Jiraiya put down his cup and asked with a smile.


    "Huh?" Ino,pletely taken aback, turned her head sharply to look at Naruto in shock. Realizing what he meant, she quickly grabbed his hand and denied it, "I don''t!"


    She turned to Jiraiya, shaking her head like a rattle.


    "Jiraiya-sama, don¡¯t listen to him! He''s just making things up!"


    Naruto rolled his eyes and said nothing. Jiraiya''s gaze softened for a moment before he smiled. He was not afraid of being troubled by Naruto at all. The biggest trouble was that Naruto never asked him for anything.


    "I might not be much help, but you could ask Tsunade. She probably wouldn¡¯t mind taking on another disciple. Or you could ask Utatane Koharu. Those old folks are usually pretty idle."


    "This..." Ino was speechless.


    "Alright." Naruto nodded.


    "Alright what?" Ino tugged on Naruto''s hand and said in a low voice.


    Naruto ignored her, stood up, and said to Jiraiya, "The snow is getting heavier. We should head back now."


    "Go, go." Jiraiya waved them off with a smile, feeling a mix of emotions. After wandering for half his life, it was the first time he felt the bittersweet weight of responsibility.


    "Be careful on the way."


    "Got it."


    "I''m sorry, Jiraiya-sama. He just talks nonsense sometimes! Please don''t take what he said earlier to¡­"


    Ino apologized, but before she could finish, Naruto had already pulled her away.


    Halfway out, Naruto stopped again and turned back to look at Jiraiya, giving him a serious warning, "Don''t die out there, Pervy Sage."


    "Damn it! You little brat, I''m from Mount Myoboku¡­" Jiraiya started to retort, but Naruto had already led Ino far away, opening arge ck umbre at the door.


    Jiraiya watched them for a while, then suddenly smiled with relief. He stood up, still slightly drunk, and muttered to himself, "Well, there''s no point in drinking any more."


    "Better take care of that matter first. After all, my foolish disciple rarely asks for anything, and there¡¯s not much fun in Konoha¡¯s nightlife anymore."


    On the way home, the snow fell in a heavy nket.


    The two walked side by side in silence, withrge ck umbres sheltering them.


    "Why did you say that earlier?" Ino broke the silence and turned her head slightly to nce at Naruto''s profile.


    "I just asked casually."


    "I know you''re doing this for my own good, but this is inappropriate." Ino said, her expression a littleplicated. "That was Jiraiya-sama. I don¡¯t want him to think that I..."


    "He won''t think too much about it. I¡¯ve never asked him for anything." Naruto stopped walking, causing the umbre to halt as well.


    "He¡¯ll be happy and, in turn, will like you too."


    Ino was suddenly speechless, her feelings a tangled mess. She realized she might be stepping into a deep pit, one she might not be able to escape from if she didn¡¯t pull herself out now.


    "Why are you going so far for me? I was justining. Even if I be an ordinary Shinobi, I¡¯ll be fine."


    "I am the heir of the Yamanaka n. I might inherit my father¡¯s position in the future and work in the Intelligence Department or the Interrogation Department. In fact, even if I don''t make any progress, it doesn''t matter much."


    The two stood in the snowy street, the night dark and silent. The streetlights in the distance cast a steady yellow glow, illuminating their corner.


    Snowkes fell from the sky like a giant funnel, raining down. Each ke fluttered in the yellow light, gentlynding on therge ck umbre.


    Heavy snow makes a sound, a soft rustling like a brush sweeping across rice paper.


    After Ino finished speaking, Naruto¡¯s face remained expressionless. He didn¡¯t argue with her, just quietly watched.


    It wasn¡¯t until Ino awkwardly turned her head away, avoiding his gaze, that Naruto finally spoke.


    "Isn''t this good?"


    "I don''t know." Ino stubbornly shook her head, "It¡¯s good, but I feel it''s too heavy, and I won''t be able to repay you."


    Naruto stared at her pretty face for a while, confused by her reaction. He felt it was just a small thing.


    Whether he asked Tsunade or had Jiraiya ask, it didn¡¯t matter. And Naruto just let Jiraiya act as a middleman this time.


    And knowing Jiraiya¡¯s personality, he¡¯d probably ask Tsunade first before going to Utatane Koharu.


    "Are you unhappy?" Naruto asked seriously.


    "No!" Ino herself didn¡¯t know what was wrong. She suddenly realized that everything had changed, and Naruto seemed to be doing just fine without her.


    ¡®Whether it was Jiraiya-sama or Tsunade-sama, they both treated him well. With their power and status, the Yamanaka n didn¡¯t really matter to them.¡¯


    Ino also wanted to ept his kindness calmly, but if the rtionship wasn¡¯t equal... But then she thought about it and realized that when there was not much gap between them before, she had been just like him.


    She knew she was being unreasonable, so she wanted to get away as soon as possible, hiding in her bed and thinking it through bit by bit. Tomorrow would be better, after a good night¡¯s sleep.


    "As long as you¡¯re not unhappy¡­" Naruto didn''t think about her thoughts and said with a smile, "I thought you¡¯d be so upset you¡¯d run home, dive under your quilt, and cry."


    "You!!"


    Ino felt utterly exposed, so embarrassed she could explode. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she pointed at Naruto, trembling with anger.


    "I would never! Why do I even bother talking to you! Do whatever you want! I¡¯m not going to worry about paying you back, you jerk!"


    Hearing this, Naruto chuckled happily.


    "That won¡¯t do. I bought you new clothes."


    "Ah!!! Go put it on yourself! Damn pervert!" Ino punched him, her chest heaving with anger.


    "I could wear them myself, but it¡¯d be a shame if no one appreciated it." As he said that, he grabbed her hand, holding it tightly as if nothing had happened.


    Ino¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Naruto who was so close to her. She didn''t know where to put her other hand. The hand he held felt hot, making her heart flutter.


    She suddenly realized one thing, which is, no matter how he changed, at this age where anything is possible, it wasn¡¯t a mistake, but a blessing.


    "Want me to walk you home?" Naruto asked.


    "The Ino-Shika-Cho ns celebrates the New Year together, so my parents probably aren¡¯t home right now." Ino said, biting her lower lip.


    "Then let¡¯s go home." Naruto said.

 Chapter 177 New Year’s Power Outage

    Chapter 177 New Year¡¯s Power Outage


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    Holding hands all the way, Ino tried to break free several times, but couldn¡¯t. With no other choice, she could only let Naruto lead her back home.


    After they got home, Naruto didn¡¯t mention anything about maid outfits or make any suggestivements.


    He understood the principle of ¡®too much is as bad as too little¡¯. He¡¯d already teased her once that night, so now, he decided to behave, not wanting to make Ino panic again.


    As usual, they took turns showering, with Ino choosing to gost this time.


    "I''m really not that kind of person. What happenedst time was just a joke." Naruto tried to exin.


    "You don''t need to exin." Ino took several steps back and looked at him with disdain, "Seriously, you know what you''ve done."


    "Are you serious about backing away like that?" Naruto sighed, ¡®If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have tried to be clever, why did I act so impulsively back then?¡¯


    "Hmph! Anyway, don''t think you can take advantage of me." Ino said with a grin, lying down happily on the sofa. She then pulled Kurama, who was lounging on a small sofa, into her arms.


    Naruto, feeling helpless, slowly went back to his room to get some clothes for his shower. Kurama, now in Ino''s arms, looked confused but became obedient again when he realized it was Ino.


    "Does your foxhound really drink? I smell alcohol."


    "Yeah, he drinks. What, are you nning to buy him some?" Naruto responded as he grabbed his clothes and nced at Ino.


    Kurama''s eyes brightened as he looked up at Ino. His expression made herugh, and without knowing any better, she said, "Sure, I''ll buy as much as he wants."


    Kurama''s ears perked up with excitement as he looked at Ino. He thought to himself, ¡®The owner of this little piece of trash was indeed this woman in front of me¡­ what a spineless human being.¡¯


    Though Kurama thought this way, he hypocritically forgave himself, epting the fact that he was a Biju, not a human. So, the concept of spinelessness didn¡¯t apply to him, and he was merely making use of them.


    Half an hourter, while Ino was showering, Naruto was in the living room blow-drying his hair. He nced at Kurama again and said, "You really have no shame, Kurama."


    Kurama nced towards the bathroom and spoke in a hushed voice, "Mind your own business."


    Naruto looked at him with aplex expression, "If you start doing backflipster, I¡¯ll really lose all respect for you."


    "Get lost, you useless piece of shit! I need to warm up!" Kurama said disdainfully.


    Naruto: ¡°¡­¡±


    He no longer cared about thepletely free-spirited Kurama, and after drying his hair, he went to his room, changed into fresh clothes, and turned on the air conditioner, making the room warmer.


    When Ino came out of the bathroom, she was amazed to see Kurama doing backflips. She excitedly rushed over while holding her bathrobe.


    After Kurama did a few backflips, he felt embarrassed and stopped.


    Seeing Kurama suddenlye to his senses, Naruto was somewhat surprised. He shifted his position on the sofa and continued lying down.


    Ino walked over, carefully adjusting the edges of her bathrobe to ensure it wouldn¡¯t reveal anything before slowly sitting down. To be honest, Naruto was a bit disappointed.


    He felt that being that cautious was really unnecessary.


    Hey on the sofa and closed his eyes, gradually sorting out the recent events in his mind, ¡®Over in the Land of Wind, Gaara seemed to be facing some trouble in his attempt to rise to power.¡¯


    ¡®Jiraiya continued to gather intelligence, possibly investigating Akatsuki. The situation in the Land of Wind was highly sensitive, and it was unclear whether Jiraiya would intervene.¡¯


    ¡®That crazy brother-con Itachi probably wouldn¡¯t return for a while. For the next two or three years, Akatsuki likely wouldn¡¯te knocking. There was still plenty of time, but I couldn¡¯t afford to sit idly by.¡¯


    After thinking it over, Naruto decided to leave it forter.


    Battles are all about intelligence, as they say, ¡®Know yourself and your enemy, and you will be undefeated¡¯.


    Putting everything else aside, Jiraiya was undeniably powerful. If he had fully understood Nagato¡¯s abilities, he wouldn¡¯t have been killed by just a few of Pain.


    With someone like him, who knows all the intel, if Nagato sent Pain, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d leave Konoha alive.


    If Tsunade and Jiraiya teamed up, and with himself and Kurama¡­ Plus, if they called in Guy and Kakashi, even Madara would have to take a few hits.


    He also knows the Impure World Reincarnation, had mastered theplete version of the Rasengan, and even had the Flying Thunder God in his arsenal. After counting carefully, the only thing left to learn was Senjutsu and some Fuinjutsu.


    Right now, what hecked wasn¡¯t more Ninjutsu but Taijutsu.


    The reflexes and muscle memory required forbat, as well as the instincts and experience needed in life-and-death battles, were all things hecked. But these couldn¡¯t be rushed and had to be developed slowly.


    Overall, Shadow Clone Technique could solve that problem. He could just ask Tsunade for help. If she refused, he could just keep pestering her¡­ The Scroll of Seals would be his eventually.


    He¡¯d already learned the most dangerous Impure World Reincarnation, so there was nothing else to worry about.


    One day, he would be able to stand before Uchiha Madara, shout for him to wake up, and watch as all the deceased opened their eyes. Crawling out from the endless darkness underground, they would slowly dance with him.


    With such thoughts in mind, Naruto felt the pressure seemed to lift, and the future looked promising. Standing in this God¡¯s-eye view felt great, like ying a hacked game.


    "Fell asleep?" Ino''s voice suddenly sounded in his ear.


    Naruto felt a finger poke his cheek. Startled, he opened his eyes and instinctively reached out. Ino, surprised by his sudden reaction, was caught off guard and pulled onto the sofa.


    With a thud, Ino was pinned down by Naruto on the sofa.


    "Ah!"


    "Sorry." After he saw that it was Ino, he quickly stood up and let go of Ino, "Don''t scare me like that. I¡¯m still traumatized from that time Uchiha Itachi spooked me."


    Ino, knowing she was at fault, lowered her head and responded with a quiet ¡®mm¡¯.


    It was already 11 p.m. Outside, everything was silent, and the balcony was covered in snow. Kurama stood on his hind legs, peering out the window.


    The two of them sat on the sofa, and the atmosphere grew a little subtle. Naruto couldn¡¯t quite exin why, but whenever things quieted down, this subtle tension would emerge.


    Perhaps it was amon symptom of being in the ambiguous stage of their rtionship, not yet open and not entirely straightforward.


    "I heard it¡¯s going to snow heavily for the next few days. Do you think Konoha will have a power outage?" Naruto asked, casually bringing up a topic, "Konoha¡¯s power grid has always been unreliable."


    "It shouldn''t, right? Last time there was a downpour, the power didn¡¯t go out." Ino thought for a moment and said. Thest heavy rain she was referring to was the time when Itachi came to capture Naruto.


    "That¡¯s because the old apartment was right in the very center of Konoha. How could it be the same here, which is ces on the outskirts?" Naruto said with a smile.


    "Although, ever since I moved here, the power hasn¡¯t gone out. It¡¯s unlikely to suddenly..."


    Click!


    The living room was instantly plunged into darkness. Then, from the direction of the door, there was a long beeping sound¡­


    The power had really gone out!

 Chapter 178 Skylight as a Curtain

    Chapter 178 Skylight as a Curtain


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    All the lights disappeared. On this New Year''s Eve, Naruto remembered ncing at the clock on the wall before the power went out, it was around eleven o''clock.


    ¡®Waiting for the power toe back seemed unrealistic. If the heavy snow damaged the equipment outside, it might not be restored until tomorrow.¡¯


    In the pitch ckness, he suddenly remembered that there were candles stored in the drawer.


    So, he got up, but with a crash, he identally knocked something over.


    "Um¡­ That¡­" Ino suddenly became nervous, and he could hear a slight tremor in her voice.


    "Hmm?" He turned his head to look in the direction of the sofa and responded subconsciously, "What''s wrong?"


    The room was very dark. Even after his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could only make out a vague outline. The residual image before the power outage was still in his mind, so Naruto could easily determine where Ino was.


    He thought that a Shinobi shouldn''t be afraid of the dark. But perhaps it was some other reason, as a sudden power outage could be unsettling.


    "It''s nothing, I just¡­" Ino''s voice grew weaker as she spoke.


    "Are you afraid of the dark?"


    "No, I''m not afraid. It''s just that the sudden ckout feels a bit unsettling."


    "That''s good. I''ll go get the candles. Just stay here and don''t move." Naruto instructed.


    "Okay." Ino replied, really staying still and quietly watching as darkness enveloped the room. She could hear rustling sounds beside her, followed by the sound of a cab being opened.


    After a few minutes, when Naruto was still fumbling around in the dark, Ino couldn¡¯t help but stand up and ask, "Can''t find it?"


    "It should be in one of these nearby cabs, but I haven¡¯t found it yet." Naruto replied, sounding a bit troubled, "Just wait a bit longer, I think..."


    "Let me help you look for it. It''s kind of boring just sitting here." Ino said as she began to feel her way toward the cab.


    "Sure." Naruto agreed.


    "Is it right here?"


    Ino squatted down and began to pull out the cab and asked, groping in the cab little by little. The feeling in the dark state was somewhat strange. The weakened vision made her other four senses more sensitive.


    "It should be." Naruto''s voice came from right next to her.


    "Really?" Ino¡¯s voice trembled slightly as she continued to feel around on top of the cab. Suddenly, she touched an arm.


    Then her hand was grabbed in return, causing her to tremble all over, and she let out a soft gasp.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Naruto asked, acting as if nothing had happened.


    His other hand seemed to be still groping in the dark, searching for the candles. Ino could hear the rustling sound of things being moved around, but she could also feel the familiar warmth of his hand.


    An electric current seemed to pass from her hand to her heart, sending a tingling sensation through her brain. In that instant, Ino felt her legs go weak, as if she had just drunk alcohol.


    When someone is nervous, there¡¯s a faint bitterness that gathers in the throat and on the tongue, making it hard to speak with any strength.


    Ino wanted to say, ¡®Stop¡¯, but her heart was pounding too hard.


    Everything in front of her was dark, and she lost her visionpletely. All she could hear was Naruto continuing to rummage through the cab. After that, he just kept holding her hand, not saying anything.


    But Ino didn''t dare to move, allowing her hand to be gently squeezed and toyed with.


    "Have you found it?" Her voice trembled as she closed her eyes to hold back the tears that had started to well up.


    "No." Naruto had actually found the candles but had set them aside, "Maybe I got confused. Perhaps they¡¯re in the cab by the balcony."


    As he said this, he stood up, pulling Ino to her feet with him. Despite clearly toying with her hand, he continued to pretend as if nothing had happened, and said naturally, "Let''s check over there, maybe we can find it."


    "O-Okay." Ino stammered as she stood up, following Naruto''s lead in the dark toward the small cab by the balcony windows.


    Kurama, lying on the sofa, watched in confusion. With his excellent night vision, he could clearly see the two of them holding hands in the dark, and also noticed the candles sitting on the counter.


    He couldn''t help but wonder about the stupidity of humans, ¡®They really are far more foolish than I had ever imagined.¡¯


    Kurama debated for a moment whether to grab the candles and bring them over, but then he reconsidered, thinking that he would look like a mere dog if he did so, and quickly abandoned the idea.


    So, Kuramay back on the sofa, crossing his paws, a mocking grin on his face as he watched these two foolish humans, ready to see what would happen next.


    Naruto had already led Ino to the small cab by the balcony. Her hand was a bit cold, with calluses at the base of her thumb¡ªthe result of holding shuriken and kunai. However, the rest of her hand was soft, but cold. Naruto thought to himself that it was up to him to warm it up.


    He suddenly realized that Ino hadn''t said anything yet, making her really easy to deceive. With the principle of ¡®never let a good opportunity go to waste¡¯, he continued pretending to look for the candles.


    Of course, he knew full well there were no candles there. This was just an excuse to hold her hand for a little longer.


    After touching it for a while, Naruto felt something was wrong, as Ino was too silent. He paused for a moment and thought to himself, ¡®Oh no, could she really be angry?¡¯


    "Should I open the curtains? With the snow outside, the light might be brighter than in here." Naruto turned around and asked, his other hand already pinching one end of the curtains.


    Ino finally reacted, giving his hand a slight squeeze, almost as if she were pleading, and said in a trembling voice, "No, please don''t."


    But it was already toote. The curtain was pulled open with a swoosh, and the light reflected off the snowy night outside instantly brightened the room a bit. In the faint light, Naruto could finally see Ino¡¯s current state.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, her delicate, fair face flushed with heat, and her lips pursed slightly as she unconsciously exhaled white breath.


    Seeing this, Naruto paused, surprised, and ced his other hand on her forehead.


    "You''re not sick, are you?"


    "Mmm¡­" Ino suddenly shut her eyes tight.


    ¡®This is too embarrassing! He saw me looking like that! I want to die!¡¯ She thought like this, but unable to utter a single word.


    The light streaming in from the balcony windows, reflected off the snow, bathed them both in a soft glow. The two of them stood there, hand in hand, side by side.


    With the sky as their backdrop, their silhouettes stretched across the room, past the watching Kurama, and onto the empty white wall behind them, as if they were a pair of lovers deeply in love.


    Naruto''s hand on her forehead didn¡¯t move immediately, and the flow of time seemed to slow down at this moment. The snowkes fell outside the balcony, but it was as if they werending on the couple¡¯s shoulders.


    Ino slowly opened her eyes and saw the strange emotions overflowing from his blue eyes. It was an emotion that only she could understand, the light of affection.


    With a heavy breath, time began to flow again.


    Naruto withdrew his hand from her forehead, coughed, and his expression returned to normal. He smiled at Ino and said, "I think I¡¯ve found where the candles are."


    "O-Okay." Ino quickly pulled her hand away, lowering her head in guilt.

 Chapter 179 You Should Sleep in My Room

    Chapter 179 You Should Sleep in My Room


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    In the faint light, Naruto effortlessly walked over to the cab, picked up the candles, and lit one with a lighter. The warm yellow candlelight illuminated a corner of the room.


    He carefully tilted the candle to let a bit of wax drip onto the table, then pressed the candle onto the wax to hold it in ce.


    Ino also came over and sat down on the sofa closest to the candlelight, her face now calm again.


    Kurama hadn''t moved an inch the entire time, casting the two of them a disdainful look. He grabbed the bottle of alcohol with his paw and gulped down thest few sips.


    ¡®Stupid humans.¡¯


    After lighting the candle, Naruto got up and lit another one, carrying it into the kitchen. As he walked, he said, "Wait a moment. There should still be some hot water in the kitchen. I''ll make you a cup of cocoa."


    "Mmm." Ino was still riding the emotional waves from earlier, so she didn¡¯t really catch what Naruto said and just responded automatically.


    It wasn¡¯t until Naruto brought over two steaming cups of cocoa that she instinctively said thank you.


    "Aren''t you not a fan of cocoa?" Ino held the cup full of hot cocoa, and her hands gradually warmed up.


    "I¡¯m not, really. It¡¯s too sweet and heavy for me. I¡¯d rather just drink water than this stuff." Naruto said, "Usually only girls like you like it, for a sugar boost or something like that."


    "Then why are you drinking it?"


    Naruto smiled and took the seat across from her, taking a sip of cocoa and said, "I just want to know what your favorite drink tastes like. If I drank from your cup directly, you''d probably beat me to death, so this is the next best thing."


    "You''re exaggerating! I wouldn¡¯t..." Ino paused halfway through her sentence and then frowned.


    ¡®This guy has a way with words. If I said I wouldn¡¯t mind, he¡¯d probably just go ahead and drink from my cup next time. But if I say I do mind, he¡¯ll probablye up with something even weirder to say.¡¯


    So, Ino quietly got up and moved a little farther away from Naruto.


    Naruto: ¡°¡­¡±


    With the power out, the temperature in the living room had naturally dropped. Ino, wrapped only in a bathrobe, couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Naruto noticed the chill as well.


    He stood up and said to Ino, "You should sleep in my room."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "The nkets in the guest room are pretty thin, and with the power out, there¡¯s no heating. You¡¯ll catch a cold if you sleep there." Naruto exined patiently, "The nkets in my room are thicker, so..."


    He had expected Ino to tly refuse, which wouldn''t have been surprising. After all, he was well aware that in her mind, he was probably on the top three of her ¡®most dangerous people¡¯ list.


    ¡®I have probably beenbeled as someone who can never be trusted, or something like that.¡¯


    But surprisingly, Ino did not refuse. She simply remained silent for a moment before asking, "Then where will you sleep?"


    "Huh?" This was a question Naruto had never thought about. Of course, what he thought in his mind was that it would be nice if they could sleep in each other''s arms, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that out loud.


    After hesitating for a few seconds, he frowned and said, "There is a very thick nket in the foxhound''s room, so I guess I¡¯ll just have to make do with that."


    Kurama understood the situation and angrily stood up from the sofa, looking like a standing Tom Cat.


    But before Kurama could voice his anger, Naruto spoke first, "At worst, I can just buy a bunch of alcohol for the foxhound tomorrow aspensation."


    Hearing that, Kurama quietlyy back down, pretending as if nothing had happened. In fact, the weather wasn''t that cold, at least he didn''t feel it, and as long as he wasn¡¯t missing out on something, it was fine.


    After calming Kurama down, Naruto said to Ino with a smile, "Don''t worry about me. You should head to the room first."


    "But¡­"


    "No buts!" Naruto pushed Ino into the room, then returned to the living room to grab a candle and ced it by the bedside. He waved at her from the doorway and then shut the door with a bang.


    The light in the living room was dim. Naruto stood at the room''s entrance without leaving immediately. Instead, he silently counted down from ten in his mind, ¡®Ten, nine, eight¡­ three, two, one.¡¯


    With a soft creak, the door opened. Ino was startled when she saw Naruto standing at the doorway, but she quickly turned her head away and said in a low voice, "You don''t have to take foxhound¡¯s nket. It''s not a big deal to share a bed¡­ We''re just friends, after all."


    Naruto smiled at Ino, nodded, and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    In the room.


    Ino''s slender body was nestled on the right side of the bed, bed, motionless. Shey still until she heard the candle being blown out and the rustling sound of someone climbing onto the bed nearby.


    Her stiff body couldn''t help but tremble slightly, and she was beginning to regret her impulsive decision just now.


    ¡®I just felt that it would be too pitiful for him to sleep in that room, and out of a moment of pity, I had impulsively opened the door.¡¯


    ¡®Now, it felt like there was no turning back, like the rice had already been cooked. Regret wouldn¡¯t help at this point.¡¯


    "Are you nervous right now?" Naruto asked.


    "Don''t say weird things." Ino replied,pletely turned away, her flushed face buried in the nket.


    She originally thought that Naruto''s room to be somewhat messy, but upon entering, she was surprised to find it unexpectedly tidy, with even the nket emitting a fresh scent.


    The cleanliness of the room created a cozy atmosphere, easing any difort she might have had.


    Ino was a sucker for this kind of environment. Whether it was holding hands in the dark during a power outage, the candlelight, the eye contact, the clean room, or the fluffy, fragrant nket.


    In the darkness, Naruto could feel the warmth from Ino¡¯s side of the bed. Suddenly, he asked, "Are you in a hurry to go home tomorrow?"


    "Mm." Ino''s voice was so soft that it was barely audible.


    "The New Year''s Festival would probably be postponed. Tonight isn¡¯t too important, but tomorrow, I¡¯m supposed to go with the Akimichi and Nara ns'' elders to the shrine."


    "So that means you won''t have time tomorrow and you have to get up early in the morning?" Naruto asked.


    "That''s about it, what''s wrong?" Ino asked in a low voice. She felt that her voice was so soft that she could hardly hear it.


    "No reason, I just wanted you to stay a little longer." The voice came from the other side.

 Chapter 180 More Important Things

    Chapter 180 More Important Things


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    Hearing what Naruto said, Ino was taken aback for a moment, then turned around. In the darkness, they were close, but not too close, lying in the same bed. Despite their innocent intentions, it was impossible to stop her face from flushing.


    "I¡­" Ino stared at his familiar blue eyes, bit her lip, and hesitated, unable to speak the words on her mind.


    She felt a little uneasy, ¡®Did he want me to stay? Should I agree? Actually, it wouldn''t be a big deal if I miss the shrine visit during the New Year''s Festival.¡¯


    ¡®Even though I had never missed it before, the heavy snowstorm in Konoha was unprecedented. Skipping the visit this time shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡¯


    Narutoy on his pillow, with his head tilted to the side, staring at Ino, who is in a daze, and he couldn''t help but find the situation a little amusing.


    ¡®I have been in this world for half a year. I was very lively at the beginning and made all kinds of troubles. Then, I became honest after being beaten a few times. Ipleted a few missions and made a few good friends.¡¯


    ¡®I had experienced life-and-death situations, and had encountered many troubles. Actually, my life wasn¡¯t so bad now. At least, I would not be controlled by others in the future, and I could afford everything I wanted.¡¯


    "¡­ I can actually stay a bit longer." Ino said at this moment.


    "Mm." Naruto responded. He noticed Ino sweeping her hair behind her head, as if she had made some kind of decision, and looked at him with a dazed look.


    "You''re still thinking about that incident with Uchiha Itachi, aren''t you?" Ino asked.


    "Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?" Naruto asked with some confusion.


    "I noticed you reacted stronglyst time, getting really tense whenever someone knocked on the door." Ino pursed her lips and said, "I think you might have developed a stress response from that experience."


    "Probably, but it''s not that bad. It hasn''t affected me too much."


    "I heard from others that if you talk about it in a safe environment, the psychological trauma will be much better." Ino hesitated before continuing, "You asked Jiraiya-sama to help me find a teacher, and I''m really grateful for that."


    "But¡­ I don''t have much to offer you in return, so¡­"


    "You don''t need to worry about that. We don''t need to be so calcting in our rtionship.¡± Naruto said.


    "It''s different. These are two separate matters." Ino shook her head, her golden hair cascading onto the pillow, her eyes stubborn and bright, "I can''t pretend to be unaware and just ept it without feeling guilty."


    "It''s one thing if it''s just a small favor, but this is too significant. I wouldn''t have any connection with Jiraiya-sama or Tsunade-sama under normal circumstances."


    Naruto wasn''t sure how to describe the girl in front of him, ¡®Sometimes she could be clueless, but in other situations, she was too perceptive. To be honest, she seemed like someone who would make a good wife.¡¯


    ¡®But there is no rush now, there is still plenty of time.¡¯


    "Alright then, how do you want to repay me?" Naruto asked.


    "Well¡­" Ino suddenly cupped Naruto¡¯s face in her hands, and as Naruto looked at her with a surprised expression, she said, "Now you can talk."


    "Talk about what?" He waspletely bewildered.


    "About your trauma. With me apanying you like this, it shouldn¡¯t be painful to recall, right?" Ino said with some surprise.


    "Does this really work?"


    "The books say it does!"


    "What book are you reading?" Naruto suddenly had a bad feeling.


    Ino blushed, pursed her lips and said nothing. Naruto was speechless, thinking, ¡®Jiraiya''s dirty books were really causing all sorts of problems! What kind of so-called literary giant was this? Outrageous!¡¯


    "Oh no! Did I get it wrong?" Ino looked panicked.


    "Not just wrong¡ªit''spletely off the mark! Totally unrted." Naruto sighed and said seriously, "You should stop reading those kinds of books in the future."


    "Oh, okay." Ino nodded honestly.


    Now things felt a bit awkward. The method didn¡¯t work, and Ino felt that withdrawing now her hands seemed wrong. However, leaving them on his face didn¡¯t feel right either. While Ino was hesitating, Naruto spoke again.


    "Actually, it¡¯s fine to talk about it. Since we¡¯re already this far, let''s just talk as you suggested."


    "¡­ Sorry." Ino said, feeling a little embarrassed.


    "There''s no need to apologize for something like that." He said, "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid of death, or even particrly scared of Uchiha Itachi. It¡¯s just that at that moment, I was really frightened."


    "Is it because it was a life-or-death situation?" Ino''s eyshes trembled slightly.


    "No, I was scared something would happen to you. I was really, really scared." His voice was very calm, like the surface of ake in winter, "You suddenly showed up that day, and I had already made up my mind to fight to the death."


    "But if I transformed into the Biju, half of the vige will probably be reduced to rubble. However, I didn''t really care about the lives of the vigers at that time. What mattered more was that you survived."


    "Why?" Ino didn''t know why, but she felt a sudden warmth in her heart, then an unexpected sadness. She asked with a thick nasal voice.


    "No reason. There doesn¡¯t have to be a reason for everything." He suddenly chuckled and said with amusement, "Anyway, nothing happened in the end. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re okay."


    "You..." Her voice suddenly took on a sobbing tone as she withdrew her hands and turned away from Naruto to sleep, her back facing him.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto genuinely didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    "Nothing, I just... I suddenly felt a little sad. Waaaa¡­" Ino hugged the nket and started crying, and even without turning around, Naruto knew her face was covered in tears.


    "Why are you crying when nothing''s wrong?" Naruto asked with some amusement.


    "None of your business! Waaa!" Ino cried, her tone still fierce despite her tears.


    "Didn¡¯t you ask me to talk about it? Now that I have, you won¡¯t let me ask anything." Naruto was a little helpless, "What''s the logic behind this? It''s totally irrational."


    "Waaa! You¡¯re such an idiot!" Ino was crying so hard that she didn''t want to pay attention to him and kicked him from under the nket.


    "Ouch!" Naruto yelped in pain.


    It wasn''t until Ino calmed down and her crying turned into sobbing that Naruto tentatively asked, ¡°Do you need a tissue?¡±


    "You¡¯re doing this on purpose! I¡¯ve already finished crying, and now you ask!" Ino''s voice was a bit muffled and unclear, which is usually the case after crying.


    "I was just asking. There aren¡¯t any tissues in the room. It is in the living room." He said.


    "Then can''t you go get them?" Ino asked, her back still turned, her voice carrying a hint of me and a touch of coquettishness, though only a little, he might have been imagining that part.


    "It''s too cold. I don''t want to go."


    "How can there be someone like you?!" Ino was exasperated, ¡®This person loved to deliberately make me angry for no reason and acted like a jerk all the time.¡¯


    ¡®Who in their right mind would say something so ridiculous at a time like this? What kind of non-human substance made up his heart? Was he allergic to good vibes?¡¯


    "There are a lot of people like me, haha." Naruto poked Ino¡¯s back and asked kindly, "Are you cold? I¡¯ve got a maid outfit with extra lining."


    "Go to hell!!!! Ahhhh!!" Ino suddenly turned around and started punching and kicking Naruto, though not hard enough to hurt him. She ended up sweating from the effort.


    No other words were spoken that night.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Ino was still sleeping soundly. There was nothing wrong with their sleeping postures. They slept separately, and there was no ¡®morning scene¡¯ like the ones in those anime.


    In short, everything was normal. Naruto felt somewhat relieved by Ino''s defenseless sleeping posture, ¡®Her tough exterior didn¡¯t always match her feelings.¡¯


    Her silky, golden hair tempted him to reach out and touch it, but he quickly withdrew his hand, ¡®There were other things to do, I should hurry up and wash up and prepare breakfast.¡¯

 Chapter 181 Well, It’s Still Her

    Chapter 181 Well, It¡¯s Still Her


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    Although Ino said it was okay for her not to attend the New Year''s Festival, Naruto couldn''t take her words at face value.


    Some things just require the right attitude, and you don''t really have to go through with them. If Ino skipped the New Year''s Festival, it would onlyplicate matters further, unnecessarily so.


    After swiftly finishing his morning routine and preparing breakfast, Naruto noticed that Kurama was still curled up on the couch cushion, not bothering to sleep in his own room. All Biju seemed to be like that, indifferent to the mundane.


    Naruto had no idea how Kurama ended up in such a sorry state, ¡®Drunk, maybe?¡¯


    With breakfast ready, Naruto opened the door, walked over to Ino''s side, and poked her cheek. It felt soft, but she didn''t wake up.


    He then applied more force, and Ino finally reacted, frowning but still not opening her eyes.


    Naruto frowned as well, thinking to himself, ¡®Still no response?¡¯


    So, he continued poking. This time, Ino finally opened her eyes, which filled with murderous intent.


    "Go to hell! Stop poking!"


    "You¡¯re awake?" Naruto withdrew his hand, pretending nothing had happened.


    "I woke up on the first poke! How could I not wake up with you poking me so hard?" Ino said angrily, "Couldn''t you just leave and let me wake up on my own?"


    "But the breakfast will get cold." Naruto said with a shrug.


    "Ah!! You''re so annoying! Idiot! Pervert! Foot fetishist!" Ino yelled as she threw off the covers and started putting on her winter clothes.


    Without another nce at Naruto, she stormed into the bathroom in her slippers to wash up. Naruto didn''t mind andzily returned to the kitchen.


    By the time Ino came out of the bathroom, Naruto had just set breakfast on the table.


    "After finish eating, let''s head out early, don''t miss that... whatever it is." Naruto mumbled.


    "Are you trying to chase me away?" Ino narrowed her eyes.


    "What do you mean by chasing you away? You mentioned the New Year''s festival, and all the members of the Ino-Shika-Cho ns have to attend." Naruto rolled his eyes, "Anyway, you should still have time once you finish eating."


    "Got it." Ino lowered her head, sounding slightly displeased.


    "If you really don''t want to go, that''s fine. I wasn''t exactly keen on going either." Naruto exined, "It''s so boring stay at home alone. It''s better to go with someone else."


    "No way! I''ll leave as soon as I finish eating." Ino said with a look of disgust.


    "Tsk, so heartless."


    ¡­


    A few days had passed since the New Year.


    Naruto, who had been lying at home for days, suddenly remembered something important, ¡®Damn it, I hadpletely forgotten what Tsunade had told me.¡¯


    He hurried over to the Hokage¡¯s Office, and as he pushed the door open, he saw a familiar face standing next to Tsunade''s desk, causing him to freeze on the spot.


    Sakura turned around and smiled naturally.


    "Naruto, long time no see."


    "Uh, long time no see." Naruto scratched his face. After training with Jiraiya for a whole winter, he indeed hadn''t had much contact with other people for a long time.


    He squinted, looking at Sakura''s smile, and wondered if the Pink Sakura was back?


    Just as he was lost in thought, Sakura, with her back to Tsunade, suddenly licked her lips. Seeing this, Naruto took a sharp breath, immediately realizing what was going on.


    ¡®Well, it''s still her.¡¯


    Tsunade didn''t lift her head throughout. Naruto was the only person who never knocked before entering the Hokage''s Office. Tsunade didn''t even need to guess who it was, and she had no desire to look up.


    "What¡¯s this? You still remember to show up?" Tsunade''s voice echoed in the office. It was obvious that she was angry.


    It wasn''t Tsunade''s fault for being upset. Naruto was supposed to go to the Hokage''s Office after the New Year''s Festival, but he had ghosted her for four or five days without any updates, even after she had sent someone to remind him.


    Anyone would want to throttle someone who stood them up like that.


    Naruto felt a bit guilty, but it wasn''t entirely his fault. Yugao had shown up, but instead of using the door, she knocked on the window, waking him up. Naruto had responded groggily while half asleep.


    But once he woke up, he forgot all about it. That went on for a few days, leading to the current situation.


    "Tsunade-sama, I''m sorry!" Naruto quickly admitted his mistake and apologized sincerely, "It''s all my fault for dying your ns."


    In fact, he also knew very well that Tsunade didn''t have any actual ns and often cked off at work. But in order to sound respectful, he still had to tter her against his will.


    "Huh? Didn''t you say you wanted to learn Summoning Technique?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "I gave you the chance, but you didn''t make any use of it! Do you want to die, Uzumaki Naruto?"


    "Ask yourself honestly, how many times have I needed you for something, and how many times have you been on time?" Tsunade''s face was gloomy, "You didn''t learn anything else from Kakashi, but you definitely picked up his habit of never being on time."


    "Well done, Uzumaki Naruto, really well done!"


    "Um¡­ Tsunade-sama, I didn''t do it on purpose." Naruto''s face twitched slightly and he started to feel nervous.


    "Not on purpose?" Tsunade waved her hand, gesturing for Naruto toe over.


    He hesitated but obediently walked over, only to have Tsunade grab his face and start pinching and twisting it like y. She kneaded his face for a while until her anger subsided.


    "Alright, now where were we?" Tsunade asked.


    "Ow~!" Naruto clutched his swollen face and said incoherently, "Learn Summoning Technique."


    Speaking of this, Tsunade rubbed her forehead, as if making a final confirmation.


    "You really want to contract Katsuyu?"


    "Yeah!" Naruto nodded vigorously.


    "You''re going to learn Senjutsu with Jiraiya eventually, so why not just sign a summoning contract with the toads of Mount Myoboku?" Tsunade asked with some confusion.


    "Well¡­maybe it''s because I don''t like toads." Naruto said, making up an excuse.


    "What nonsense! Training is not about likes or dislikes. If every Shinobi acted as whimsically as you, they would''ve all died out by now." Tsunade scolded.


    "Yes, yes, Tsunade-sama, you¡¯re absolutely right." Naruto stood there, letting her words go in one ear and out the other.


    Seeing his nonchnt attitude, Tsunade became even more irritated, and waved her hand dismissively.


    "Alright, it''s settled. Don''t regret itter! There''s no time today, soe back tomorrow afternoon at 4."


    "Got it!" Naruto, relieved, turned and dashed out of the office.


    But before he could walk far, someone called out to him from behind. Naruto stopped abruptly and turned around to find Sakura jogging towards him with a mission clipboard in her hand.

 Chapter 182 Takoyaki

    Chapter 182 Takoyaki


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    Sakura stopped in front of him, slightly leaning forward, and began to smile.


    "Naruto, did you hear about the trouble in the Land of Wind?"


    "No, I haven''t." Naruto shook his head honestly. He had reconciled with Sakura, so there was no need to avoid her intentionally, "What could possibly happen in the Land of Wind?"


    "I heard that Gaara is in a bit of a difficult situation right now. Some of the ruling Elders want to kill him."


    "Oh, and that has nothing to do with us, right?" Naruto asked.


    "Well, not now. But it''ll have something to do with us soon." Sakura suddenly reached out and pinched Naruto''s cheek, mimicking Tsunade''s earlier actions, but her touch was much gentler.


    "Team 7 is about to be reorganized. Can you guess who the higher-ups will send to the Land of Wind?"


    ¡®Oh no, I''m in for it!¡¯ Naruto thought to himself.


    ¡°Team 7 won''t be reorganized so soon, right? There''s still no sign of it happening yet." Naruto muttered, brushing off Sakura''s cold hand.


    "It won''t take too long. Tsunade-sama has already transferred me out of Konoha Hospital." Sakura said, trying to reach for his face again, but Naruto dodged.


    "So... an office maid?" Naruto asked.


    "That''s about right. Shizune-sama is also in charge of the Medical Division, so she doesn''t have that much time to stay in the Hokage''s Office." Sakura replied with a smile, reluctantly withdrawing her hand.


    "Ino will also be transferred to the Hokage''s Office in a few days. I have never been involved in secretarial work before, so I can''t handle it all by myself."


    "Well, I bet the reorganization of Team 7 won''t happen that quickly." Standing in the hallway, Naruto sighed, "Then, I''ll be leaving first. Good luck with your work, Sakura."


    "Do you have anything else nned for today?" Sakura suddenly asked.


    "Uh¡­ does lying around at home count?"


    "Nope. Come and do me a small favor."


    Archives Room.


    "The small favor you mean is moving data? Cough cough cough!" Naruto pushed open the door to the archives room and was immediately choked by the dusty air. He instinctively stepped aside to avoid the dust cloud.


    Looking around, he saw rows upon rows of filing cabs, with tiny windows that resembled prison cells. Even the sunlight filtering through from outside seemed dust-covered, casting a grayish hue over everything.


    "When was thest time this ce was cleaned? It''s so dusty."


    "Hardly ever. I just got the key a little while ago."


    Sakura stepped inside first and began searching through the shelves, "These are the personal details of some Chunins. Tsunade-sama has instructed me to collect them and sent them over to her as soon as possible."


    "Chunin?" Naruto stood aside and couldn''t help but stroked his chin and said, "I have seen plenty of Anbu, but I haven''t seen Chunin for a long time. What a mysterious group."


    "Most of the Chunin are on missions outside the vige, so it''s hard to see them." Sakura replied while flipping through the files, not even turning her head, "The sentry posts in the Konoha Forest and the Land of Fire''s forest are manned by Chunin."


    Naruto leaned casually against the door frame, watching Sakura seriously search through the documents, ¡®It felt oddly surreal. Dark Sakura seemed to be genuinely working hard, even though the tasks seemed pointless.¡¯


    Naruto couldn''t help but wonder, ¡®If I was the second personality and identally took control of the body, what would I do?¡¯


    ¡®Giving up my identity as a Shinobi seemed unrealistic. Would I just wander around, indulging myself?¡¯


    Unable toe up with an answer, he decided to ask directly.


    "Sakura, is there anywhere you want to go?"


    "No." Sakura reached up, pulled down a file, and ced it on the small cart, then nced at Naruto, "There are many things I don''t understand, and there''s no ce I want to go."


    "I had originally nned to spend all her savings, but when I saw that there wasn''t much left, I gave up." She answered as she continued her task.


    "Anyway, I don''t have anything in particr I want. I''ll buy whatever I want when I think of it."


    Hearing this, Naruto crossed his arms and interjected, "You don''t have anything now, but maybe you will in the future."


    Sakura pursed her lips and didn''t respond, as she was unsure of what to say.


    ¡®In the future? I probably won''t have a future.¡¯


    After taking control of the body, everything was unfamiliar. Once she finally got used to it, when the main personality woke up, she would disappear again.


    Living in the real world for a few years, then vanishing without a trace.


    Just like that, with no further story.


    Naruto left the Hokage Tower and stood in the deep winter sun, watching his shadow shrink under his feet.


    He remained silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.


    ¡®It was a happy thing that Sakura showed no abnormal behavior, but... never mind, let''s just take it one step at a time.¡¯ Naruto thought.


    When Naruto returned home, he plopped onto the couch with a thud.


    Kurama sauntered over, still clutching a bottle of sake, taking his usual Tom-like steps. He stopped beside Naruto and poked his slightly swollen face with the bottom of the bottle, asking bluntly, ¡°Can we get takoyaki today?¡±


    "No." Naruto said unhappily, "If you want to go, go yourself. I just got back."


    With that, he shifted positions on the couch, turning away and ignoring Kurama.


    Kurama, still holding the bottle, wasn''t ready to give up and tapped Naruto''s back again, "If you''re not going, then I''m going to start bothering you right now, and you can forget about getting any sleep."


    "Are you serious?" Naruto turned around while hugging the pillow and said with a displeased look on his face.


    Kurama thought about it for a moment and nodded.


    Left with no choice, Naruto reluctantly got up and headed out with Kurama. However, Kurama didn¡¯t want to walk on all fours, so Naruto carried him like a handbag as they left the apartment. Kurama didn¡¯t mind as long as he didn¡¯t have to walk.

 Chapter 183 Meeting Hanabi

    Chapter 183 Meeting Hanabi


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    The New Year had just passed, and the lingering cold crept back. Naruto, dressed in a thick coat, stood with Kurama in front of a takoyaki stand, pondering how much to order.


    Suddenly, Naruto felt like he was bumped by someone from behind.


    He quickly turned around to see a little girl, who also looked up in surprise. Naruto couldn''t help but gasp, ¡®Those familiar white eyes¡­!¡¯


    Hinata''s younger sister, Hyuga Hanabi, was wearing a brown training outfit that made her look somewhat boyish. She was momentarily stunned from the collision, then quickly bowed in apology without even checking who she had bumped into.


    "I''m sorry, I was careless. Are you alright?"


    Naruto knew that the Hyuga n was fond of using honorifics. Whether apologizing or performing other courtesies, they were always precise, making them polite yet somewhat rigid.


    "It''s fine."


    Hearing this, Hanabi sighed in relief. She was about to leave but suddenly noticed the blonde in front of her looked familiar. His forehead was bare, without a forehead protector, and he was apanied by a bright red foxhound, which was also curiously eyeing her.


    "You are Hinata''s sister, Hyuga Hanabi, right?" Naruto asked with a smile on his face.


    If Neji were here, he would definitely recognize that this was Naruto''s signature sly smile instantly. Naruto and Tsunade were both the same kind of people, and when they smiled, it was always bad news for others.


    The pure and innocent Hyuga n has been harmed twice by such smiles.


    Naruto hadn¡¯t expected that, just taking Kurama out for a stroll, he''d run into Hanabi. Spotting the opportunity, he wasn¡¯t going to let her get away without finding out where Hinata was.


    Last time, Naruto promised to apany Hinata in training, but then he postponed it for a whole winter.


    Although circumstances were beyond his control, he sometimes felt a twinge of guilt when he remembered it. He wondered if he had truly inherited Kakashi''s tendency to bail on promises, as his king skills had reached new heights.


    "I''m indeed Hyuga Hanabi. Do you know my sister? Who are you?" Hanabi asked with her eyes lowered.


    "There''s no need for honorifics." He waved his hand, recalling how Neji never used them when speaking either.


    "Okay." Hanabi nodded earnestly.


    Seeing this, Naruto was slightly taken aback, ¡®This girl seemed to be as dazed as Hinata. As expected, they were true sisters.¡¯


    "I am¡­"


    "Customer, your takoyaki is ready." The shop owner handed over the takoyaki at this time.


    "Thank you." Naruto epted the takoyaki, first handing one portion to Kurama, then offering another to Hanabi, "I''m well-acquainted with your sister. You can call me Naruto."


    Hanabi hesitated and didn''t take the takoyaki, but Naruto pushed the takoyaki forward again, and she finally took it obediently.


    "Is your sister very busy these days?" Naruto asked while picking up Kurama naturally.


    Kurama was too busy munching on his takoyaki and didn''t care about the stupid humans. He just focused on eating and kept sticking his tongue out as the food burned him.


    "Yeah, I hardly see my sister anymore. I guess she''s on a mission." Hanabi''s attention waspletely attracted by Kurama, who was using his paws to eat takoyaki.


    "Is that so? Alright then." Naruto said, already having a vague guess in his mind.


    Since Team 7 was short-staffed, the missions would have to be evenly distributed among the other Genin teams.


    Although there are many missions, they weren''t particrly dangerous.


    Some people hadfortably lounged around for over half a year, and while the pain of missions hadn''t disappeared, it had shifted onto others.


    But unfortunately, whether it was Team 3, Team 10, or Team 8, all were distinctly characteristic teams, but not high-damage dealers.


    Team 7 was established for that very purpose. If it weren''t for Sasuke''s defection, Team 7, which possessed the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki and Uchiha n¡¯s Kekkei Genkai, would have been positioned as the vige''s vanguard.


    Since graduating from Genin until now, Naruto''s missionpletion rate had been 100%, excluding the pursuit of Sasuke. No wonder the higher-ups are in a rush to reorganize Team 7.


    ncing at Hanabi, Naruto noticed that her eyes were fixed on Kurama.


    He simply lifted Kurama over and asked, "Do you want to pet him?"


    "Will he get mad?" Hanabi asked, unable to take her eyes off Kurama, clearly eager but restraining herself.


    "No." Naruto answered without hesitation, "He has a good temper, especially since I''m nning to buy him something he¡¯s been wanting."


    "Thank you." Hanabi cautiously took Kurama into her arms.


    Kurama looked up and exchanged a nce with Hanabi before lowering his head and resuming his takoyaki feast. The sauce sttered everywhere, including on Hanabi''s clothes.


    Naruto noticed but didn''t react, as this silly fox has always been like this.


    Hanabi, however, was amused. She struggled a bit to hold Kurama in her slender arms, with an expression on her face that waspletely different from the restraint she had just shown.


    She lowered her gaze, her eyes filled with fondness as she watched Kurama, her expression utterly melted by his cuteness.


    In fact, apart from Naruto, everyone¡¯s first impression of Kurama the silly fox was that he was adorable. Perhaps it was the rare fiery red fox fur that made him look like a ball of mes.


    Even Hanabi herself might not have realized how much her current expression differed from her typically strict demeanor. Her rosy cheeks wore a gentle smile, making her especially cute.


    Naruto, with his eyelids half-closed, stood idly by, waiting for Hanabi to have her fill of fun. When she finally, and solemnly, handed Kurama back, he turned his head.


    "Thank you." Hanabi bowed and said.


    "It''s nothing." Naruto stood on the street, smiling as he waved her off, "Say hello to your sister for me."


    "Okay." Hanabi responded with a serious expression, genuinely taking to heart what Naruto had casually said.

 Chapter 184 Kurama, You Deserve To Die!

    Chapter 184 Kurama, You Deserve To Die!


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    When Hinata returned to the Hyuga n¡¯spound, the sky was already dimming.


    The rising cold made her instinctively pull her clothes tighter. She hurried across the street, eager to get home. As she reached the door, she let out a small sigh of relief.


    Quietly, she pushed the main door open, then gently closed it behind her.


    The moment she turned around, she noticed that Hanabi''s room was still lit. Before she could even react, the door swung open, and a young girl rushed out.


    The light from the room poured out like a bright yellow cloth that spread at her feet.


    The courtyard was filled with a biting chill. Hanabi, bundled up like a little cotton doll, had her cheeks reddened from the wind. She briskly walked up to Hinata and greeted her.


    "Nee-san."


    "Hanabi, why are you¡­?" Hinata wanted to say, It''s so cold right now, why did youe out like this?


    "Sister, I met someone today who asked me to say hello to you on his behalf." Hanabi shook her head lightly and said, "He said his name is Naruto."


    "Huh? Naruto-kun." Hinata''s eyes widened, and she blinked rapidly. Her finger started fidgeting, "¡­ What did he say?"


    "He asked if you''ve been busytely." Hanabi replied.


    "It''s not that I''m very busy. I still need to train after the mission, so..." Hinata began to exin to herself, but abruptly stopped when she realized that it was only Hanabi in front of her.


    "Hanabi, what did you say to him after that?"


    Hanabi found it odd that her sister suddenly seemed so nervous, but she still answered honestly.


    "I told him that you''re probably very busy, going on missions."


    Upon hearing this, Hinata secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    "That''ll do."


    "Hmm?" Hanabi tilted her head, looking confused, "What did you say, Nee-san?"


    "Oh, nothing." Hinata waved her hand, looking a little embarrassed and said, "I understand. You should go to bed early. I-I''ll go back to my room now too!"


    "Okay."


    Hinata hurried back to her room, pressing herself against the door and clutching her chest, letting out a long breath. She pursed her lips, a relieved smile spreading across her face.


    She swiftly removed her backpack, took off her Ninja Pouch, and set it on the table. In the bright light of her room, she unbuttoned her thick coat and tossed it aside.


    Hinata''s room has a private bathroom. With a click, all the lights were turned on. Hinata leaned against the wall to take off her shoes, revealing her baster white bare feet.


    As if testing the waters, her rosy toes spread out, slowly touching the cold tatami mats. She let out a soft sigh as she gently stepped on them. Then, the other foot followed, both feet firmly on the tatami.


    The room''s temperature gradually rose as the heater kicked in. Hinata slowly undressed and made her way to the bathroom. After preparing her bath, she lightly stepped back out.


    She caught a glimpse of herself in the full-length mirror, with a faint smile ying on her lips. Her eyes slightly curved, and the fatigue from her missions seemed to dissipate.


    Hinata stood before the mirror, gently turning her body. After a moment, she seemed unsatisfied and took off another piece of clothing. She spent another seven or eight minutes admiring herself before turning and entering the bathroom.


    The bathwater was crystal clear, and with a ssh, Hinata slipped into the tub, draping herself over the edge. Her back, with its elegant and fair contours, made the water seem even clearer.


    The young girl was filled with thoughts, worried about her sudden departure from Naruto''s home before, yet also happy about Hababi¡¯s encounter with Naruto today.


    At this time, she suddenly realized something¡­ She had been too passive.


    It was difficult for outsiders to approach her home. Even her teammates, Shino and Kiba, would only wait outside the Hyuga n¡¯spound when they had missions together.


    Naruto''s identity was sensitive, so it was even more impossible for him to just seek her out casually.


    In addition, she knew that Naruto was training with Jiraiya, as she had heard that before. With missions keeping her busy and little free time avable, if she continued to hope for chance encounters to see him... perhaps she would end up like today, only hearing about Naruto from others.


    In fact, it wasn''t that she had no time at all. It was just that she instinctively didn''t want to approach him. That day, Ino''s words had stirred her up, making her ustomed to avoiding the situation.


    But now, Hinata finally understood that no matter how much she avoided him, a single word from Naruto could still leave her heart unsettled for a long time.


    In fact, she wasn''t doing well.


    Among Team 8, she had the weakest foundation, constantly fearing that she was holding the team back. Her teammates were all so kind, but their kindness felt to her like a hot knife coated in sugar.


    It pierced deep into her heart, yet she had to pretend she wasforted by it, which only made her feel worse.


    Her father had never really looked at her. It seemed that everything she was now, including herself, was just a joke¡­ aughingstock in the eyes of the n, a failure in her father''s view.


    "Is it okay no matter what?" She murmured, her pupils dted as she stared nkly at the bathroom ceiling light.


    With a soft ssh, her white body slowly sank into the water.


    Meanwhile, with a loud ssh, Naruto yanked Kurama out of a pet bathtub with a look of utter disgust and yelled angrily, "Kurama, you deserve to die!"


    "What were you doing messing around with the soy sauce in the kitchen? Are you out of your mind? Ah! You spilled it everywhere!"


    "Damn it! Didn''t I clean it all up?" Kurama protested, feeling wronged, "It''s all your fault, stupid human, for leaving the bottle in that weird ce!"


    "You must be drunk! Damn it! That wasn''t a booze bottle at all, it''s clearly soy sauce!" Naruto was speechless, nearly tempted to throw this arrogant creature out the window on the spot!


    "Not only did you dirty the kitchen, but you also got soy sauce all over yourself. If I hadn''t caught you in time, you were going to sneak onto the sofa, weren''t you?"


    "I didn''t! Let me go first!" Kurama kept arguing.


    "Dream on." Naruto shoved Kurama back into the water, scrubbing him up and down like washing a mop.


    "You... glub glub... just you wait... glub glub." Kurama threatened through the bubbles.


    "Tsk." Naruto didn''t care in the least.


    After thoroughly rinsing Kurama, Naruto had no intention of blow-drying him. Instead, he let Kurama fetch the hairdryer himself. Kurama, still sulking, reluctantly endured it for the sake of the hundred bottles of booze promised!


    So, drenched and grumbling, Kurama stood up, walked on two legs, fetched the hairdryer from the sofa, and started drying his own fur.

 Chapter 185 What Kind of Monster Are You?

    Chapter 185 What Kind of Monster Are You?


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    The next day.


    It started raining suddenly in the early morning, and Naruto slept in until noon. He didn''t wake up until the sun was high in the sky. After realizing he had to meet Tsunade in the afternoon to learn Summoning technique, he decided to get up and wash up.


    After having a quick bite at noon, he leisurely strolled to the Hokage Tower.


    Estimating the time was about right, he made his way up to the fifth floor as usual. He didn''t bother knocking and directly pushed open the door to the Hokage''s Office.


    Tsunade had just lifted her hand to take a sip of sake when the corner of her eyes caught Naruto''s entrance. The sake didn¡¯t even make it past her lips. Instead, it trickled down her throat, past her mountainous bosom, and into the valley below.


    Naruto blinked, his eyes unable to pull away. To mask his awkwardness, he couldn''t help but clear his throat.


    "Tsunade-sama, it seems you¡¯re enjoying yourself. Since Shizune-san is not around, you''re already starting to¡­"


    "What?" Tsunade hurriedly stashed the sake cup into the drawer, along with the jade porcin bottle, and fanned the air around her, "Those two, Kotetsu and Izumo, are just too much! Coming in to deliver documents while reeking of alcohol."


    "Now that they have left, the smell of alcohol is still lingering."


    Naruto was really impressed by Tsunade, You¡¯re the Godaime Hokage, yet your ability to lie so smoothly was almost instinctual, as if it were perfectly natural, with no sense of shame.¡¯


    "What did youe here for?" Tsunade suddenly asked.


    "." Naruto looked up at the ceiling, "Shizune-san asked me to keep an eye on your work, Tsunade-sama, and also confiscate your tools of crime."


    "What tools of crime? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about." Tsunade tried to say calmly, yet her voice tinged with guilt.


    "The bottle and cup in the drawer. Don¡¯t bother hiding it, just hand it over." Naruto said with a straight face, making it sound like Shizune had actually instructed him, "Hurry up, or I''ll go find Shizune-san."


    It just so happened that Naruto and Shizune were indeed quite close with each other, so he deliberately mimicked Shizune''s tone and said, ¡®Hand it over¡¯, adding to Tsunade¡¯s guilt. She didn''t doubt him and reluctantly took out the bottle and cup.


    "I¡¯ll keep these safe for you, Tsunade-sama." Naruto took the bottle and cup and stuffed them into his pocket.


    "Such a killjoy." Tsunade propped her head up with one hand, ring at Naruto with a hint of resentment, while Naruto kept a straight face.


    "Tsunade-sama, I want to learn Summoning Technique!" Naruto said.


    "Here!" Tsunade, clearly irritated, tossed a scroll over and turned her chair around, "The hand seals are all in there. Figure it out yourself."


    "Huh? Tsunade-sama, you''re not going to teach me?" Naruto asked, a bit confused.


    "Not in the mood!" Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, "Either train on your own, or give me back the sake. Your choice."


    "This¡­" Naruto took the scroll, looked at the bottle, then at Tsunade.


    "I¡¯ll train on my own then."


    Tsunade: ¡°¡­¡±


    She hadn''t expected Naruto to actually take the scroll and leave. Staring at the now empty office, Tsunade frowned slightly, ¡®It was still raining outside, where would that kid go to train?¡¯


    On the rooftop balcony of the Hokage Tower, Naruto stood under the dry shelter of the roof, avoiding the rain. He unrolled the scroll in his hands, a puzzled expression appearing on his face.


    ¡®It¡¯s just a few simple hand seals? But I can¡¯t really make sense of this!¡¯


    ¡®Should I go back and ask?¡¯


    ¡®Forget it! I could just figure it out myself. I can learn Summoning Technique at any time, but this is the first time I''ve seen Tsunade get beaten. It would be a shame if I gave in now!¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, it''s just a sequence of hand seals¡­ it can¡¯t be that hard.¡¯


    ¡®Is this the Boar seal? Dog ¨C Bird ¨C Monkey ¨C Ram?¡¯


    "What are those two hand seals in the middle?" Naruto was a little confused, so he simply crouched down andid the scroll on the ground, "I¡¯ll just imitate them. It shouldn¡¯t matter too much."


    "At worst, the summoning will fail, right? It¡¯s just a failure, nothing more."


    After fumbling through a few hand seals, Naruto finally started getting the hang of it. Thest step was to inject Chakra andplete the Ninjutsu.


    "Boar ¨C Dog ¨C Bird ¨C Monkey ¨C Ram!" Naruto¡¯s fingers moved swiftly, like weaving strings.


    He mixed in a few unfamiliar hand seals in between andpleted the sequence in one fluid motion. Suddenly, his hands felt unusually heavy, like they were weighed down by a bnce scale, teetering on the brink of losing control.


    Unable to hold back, Naruto shouted loudly!


    "What kind of monster are you? Reveal your true form!"


    Side Story: A Rainy Day


    Heavy rain poured outside.


    The sound of rainpletely soaked the air in the living room, making everything feel damp.


    "Hey, Ino, can I have a bite of the grilled meat on your te?" Naruto suddenly looked up and asked.


    "No way!" Ino, sitting at the dining table, refused without hesitation, muttering, "Don''t you have some on your te?"


    "What¡¯s the big deal?" he said. "It''s a rainy day!"


    "What does the heavy rain have to do with you wanting to eat what¡¯s on my te?" Ino sighed, thinking that she shouldn''t havee here to hide from the rain.


    It was as if the God knew she was passing by, as the rain started pouring the moment she arrived.


    "Of course it matters." Naruto lifted his head and boldly stared at Ino¡¯s fair neck. "In this kind of weather, there will definitely be lovers confessing their love."


    "You... What nonsense are you talking about!" Ino¡¯s shoulders tensed, her face flushed for a moment, and her eyes darted nervously.


    "You know, that kind of scene¡­ missing someone makes you suddenly tender, and the other half rushes over in the pouring rain, standing there, staring at them."


    He casually twirled his chopsticks, speaking with a nonchnt manner.


    "And then they confess in the middle of the downpour, soaking wet, and without waiting for a response, they just turn and leave."


    "Ew, that¡¯s so clich¨¦." Ino said with disgust.


    "Isn¡¯t it romantic? It''s idealism¡­ capturing the purest and most beautiful part of love." Naruto tilted his head and said, "It turns out that girls arepletely indifferent to this kind of thing, huh?"


    "Of course not! It¡¯s exactly like you said¡­ so silly." Ino said.


    "If it were me, I¡¯d still do it, even though you¡¯re right, it is kind of silly." Naruto said after pondering for a moment, "But there¡¯s definitely something about it that can capture the other person¡¯s heart."


    "Sure, but if you can¡¯t feel the other person¡¯s feelings, it would still seem kind of baffling, right?" Ino said, but the knuckles of her hand gripping the chopsticks turned slightly white.


    "Maybe, but that youthful purity is still pretty moving." Naruto said, "If it hadn¡¯t rained, maybe there wouldn¡¯t have been a confession."


    "The rain will stop soon, and that impulse might disappear with it."


    "That kind of thing¡­ Um..."


    "Ino."


    "Ah!" She was startled, like a frightened rabbit.


    "Can I have a bite of the grilled meat on your te?" Naruto asked again.


    "Do whatever you want!" Ino suddenly stood up, and her chopsticks ttered to the floor. She wanted to pick it up but suddenly felt something was wrong, and said through gritted teeth, "I don''t care anymore!"


    With that said, Ino stormed into the bathroom with her head down.


    "Hmm?" Naruto looked confused.


    In the bathroom, Ino slumped on the floor, breathing heavily, with the tips of her ears and facepletely red.


    "Seriously, what kind of weird stuff is he saying?"


    "Talking about confessions¡­ just because it¡¯s raining?"


    "Actually... a rainy day like this¡­"

 Chapter 186 The Joy of Letting Go

    Chapter 186 The Joy of Letting Go


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    On the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, Tsunade couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned as she made her way up, wanting to see what mischief Naruto might be up to this time. As she stepped out of the small door onto the rooftop, she immediately heard Naruto¡¯s strange shouting.


    "¡­ Monster¡­"


    ¡®What a mess¡­¡¯ Tsunade frowned, thinking to herself, ¡®Could it be that this kid is losing his mind because of his failed training?¡¯


    She nced in the direction of the noise and was instantly stunned.


    With a loud bang, a huge slug, as tall as the Hokage Tower, was summoned. It sat amidst the rain, upying the space inside the Hokage Tower¡¯s walls.


    The torrential downpour blurred the surroundings, obscuring the view.


    Naruto was bewildered, ¡®It seemed like I had just summoned the slug out of nowhere, but what was I supposed to do next?¡¯


    ¡®I remembered Tsunade saying that I should address the slug as ¡®Katsuyu-sama¡¯ when I saw her. So, should I just shout now? But I wasn¡¯t sure if Katsuyu could see me.¡¯


    At that moment, Naruto stood on the inner side of the rooftop, under a barely one-square-meter overhang, staring at Katsuyu that resembled a small mountain. Having seen Kyubi before, he wasn¡¯t afraid ofrge creatures.


    Right now, he was like a shy rookie who had identally walked into a massage parlor, hesitating about how to start a conversation with the masseuse who had just entered the room.


    Tsunade was stunned, but also amused.


    She stood at the rooftop door and didn¡¯t step forward.


    She thought to herself, ¡®He actually managed to summon her, but wasn¡¯t the process a bit too simple? Well, summoning her was one thing, and earning Katsuyu¡¯s recognition was another.¡¯


    The suddenmotion startled everyone in the Hokage Tower. But when they realized it was Tsunade¡¯s Summoned Beast, Katsuyu, they automatically averted their gaze.


    Two Anbu¡¯s members heard the news andnded on the Hokage Tower¡¯s red dome. They stood in the rain, silently observing everything below.


    Tsunade crossed her arms under her chest with a meaningful look in her eyes. She had high expectations for Naruto and hoped that he could climb higher mountains, travel to more vibrant and distant ces.


    Not be trapped in Konoha, like a prisoner with no sense of belonging.


    Tsunade knew Naruto¡¯s boundary-less personality well. It was precisely because of this that she wasn¡¯t blindly optimistic. She knew better than anyone that Naruto didn¡¯t really have any attachment to the vige.


    He stayed in Konoha simply because it was a ce he could stay. As for what would be of Naruto in the future, she wasn¡¯t sure herself.


    "Um¡­" Naruto began, reaching out his hand toward Katsuyu, trying to say something to break the awkward silence.


    But in the next moment, Katsuyu slowly lowered her head, adopting a submissive posture.


    Naruto was stunned, then he quickly turned around and saw Tsunade leaning against the red wooden door of the rooftop.


    He suddenly felt a little disappointed, ¡®So it was because Tsunade was here¡­ I thought Katsuyu was bowing to me.¡¯


    He sighed and opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he heard Tsunade say, "Okay, that¡¯s enough. You go back."


    She waved her hand, and Katsuyu disappeared with a bang.


    "Ah! How could my Summoned Beast listen to you!" Naruto¡¯s face was full of sadness and resentment, "How can this be!!!"


    Tsunade was speechless and waved her hand, gesturing for him toe closer.


    "Come here."


    "Huh?" Naruto moved closer, but before he could react, Tsunade grabbed him and pinned him against the wall, and he couldn¡¯t budge.


    "What do you mean your Summoned Beast? So the moment it¡¯s in your hands, it¡¯s yours, huh?" Tsunade scolded him, punishing the guy who tried to take advantage of public resources for personal use, "I gave you the summoning scroll, do you understand?"


    "I gave it to you!"


    "¡­ Understood." Naruto felt like his bones were about to fall apart and quickly nodded in agreement.


    Hearing this, Tsunade finally let Naruto go. She rubbed her forehead and said, "Come with me, I have something to discuss with you."


    "Oh."


    The rain outside showed no signs of letting up. After Tsunade led Naruto away, the two Anbu¡¯s members exchanged a nce and disappeared as well.


    With a rustle, the curtains of the Hokage''s Office were drawn by Tsunade.


    Seeing this, Naruto felt his legs go weak. He crouched by the door, looking sheepish and said with a hint of grievance, "Tsunade-sama, this isn''t good."


    "What are you talking about?" Tsunade plopped down into the Hokage''s chair and nced at Naruto from the corner of her eye, "The proposal for Team 7''s reorganization has been finalized."


    "Do you want to know the details?"


    Naruto thought for a moment, then nodded, "Yes."


    "The opinions from the higher-ups pretty muche down to a handful of people." Tsunade leaned backzily in her chair, "Anbu will send one Jonin Instructor, and the Root will send a Genin."


    After hearing this, Naruto basically knew the arrangement of the top management for Team 7, ¡®The Jonin Instructor should be Yamato, also known as real estate builder, and the Genin will be Sai, the autistic man who draws.¡¯


    "My suggestion is to temporarily halt the reorganization of Team 7." Tsunade suddenly said.


    "Huh? Why?" Naruto was a little surprised.


    He didn''t particrly care about the reorganization of Team 7. Either way, he''d be just taking it easy. He nned to stick around until adulthood, then surprise Konoha with something big.


    The chaotic Gods seemed to be watching him. The moment he got into any rtionship with an underage girl that went beyond holding hands, he¡¯d spontaneouslybust!


    But letting go of all constraints felt so liberating, he couldn''t wait to inherit Jiraiya''s legacy and be the next great risqu¨¦ writer of the Shinobi World.


    So, when he heard Tsunade mention pausing the reorganization of Team 7, it didn''t really bother him. It didn''t matter, as even if they were to reform, he had no intention of trying to save Sai.


    If Sai got in his way, he¡¯d dly bash his head in.


    "Reorganizing Team 7 right now doesn''t benefit you. Danzo''s intentions are too murky, and I don''t trust it." Tsunade said as if discussing a trivial matter.


    "Since you can summon Katsuyu, there''s no need to worry about dying suddenly in some corner. On a personal note, I''d rather have you focus on training for a few years. After all, for now, Konoha doesn''t particrly need you."


    "Training? Not interested at all." Naruto blurted out instinctively.


    Hearing this, Tsunade surprisingly didn''t get angry. She just gave him a deep look and said, "It''s all right. I just said that casually."


    "Since that''s how you feel, there''s another matter." Tsunade paused before continuing, "Gaara, from our allied vige, Sunagakure, is in some trouble, and the Anbu has infiltrated Sunagakure."


    "By this summer or next year at thetest, another faction in the Sunagakure is expected to take action. Be prepared. If necessary, you might have to carry out missions in the ambiguous border area between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire."


    "Got it."

 Chapter 187 The Door is Broken!

    Chapter 187 The Door is Broken!


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    After Naruto left, Tsunade was alone in the office. She stared at the documents on the desk for a while, then summoned a small Katsuyu.


    With a bang, white smoke rose, and a Katsuyu the size of a teacup appeared on the desk.


    "Tsunade-sama." Katsuyu called gently.


    "Hmm." Tsunade propped her head with her left hand, stared at Katsuyu and asked, "What was that on the rooftop just now? You were summoned and immediately recognized that kid?"


    "Well... it''s not really recognition." Katsuyu hesitated, speaking in a soft, girlish voice, "Is person your disciple, Tsunade-sama?"


    "No." Tsunade waved her hand and said, "You don''t need to be lenient or nice to him just because of me. Treat him as you see fit."


    "But¡­" The slug interrupted Tsunade, "Tsunade-sama, it''s not about recognizing him. It''s just... I don''t know how to exin it."


    "What?" Tsunade frowned slightly, not understanding what Katsuyu meant at all.


    "¡­ It''s fear." Katsuyu said weakly, "Like being dominated, unable to move at all. Tsunade-sama, you may not believe it."


    "His soul is exceptionally towering, like a mountain. For some reason... I couldn''t look directly at him. I was also shocked at that time."


    Tsunade tapped her fingers rhythmically on the desk, remaining silent.


    Naruto hadn''t expected summoning Katsuyu would be so simple. He whistled while holding an umbre as he walked home.


    With the new year beginning, it seemed like an endless cycle of missions awaited him.


    Such a life could not be described as monotonous, nor did he hate that kind of life.


    More importantly, his training speed wasn''t particrly fast. Aside from the Rasengan and Taijutsu, almost all of his power came from the System, andpleting missions made it easier to trigger system options.


    If he had any innate talent, it was probably his knack for handling Biju. He suspected this talent was why he learned Summoning Technique so quickly.


    ¡®Oh no! Am I going to be the Pok¨¦mon Trainer of the Naruto World in the future?" Naruto muttered to himself.


    ¡°That can''t happen!¡±


    Back at Konoha Street 404, Naruto shook off his umbre, nced at the half-closed door of the furniture store, and stomped his feet on the wet steps before leisurely heading upstairs.


    There were no lights in the stairwell, but Naruto didn''t mind, after all, he was the only resident. In the dim afternoon light, the open corridor was shrouded in misty rain.


    After the new year, a prolonged rainy season usually followed, which usuallysted about half a month.


    Naruto didn¡¯t pay it much attention. He fished out his keys, ready to unlock his door, when he noticed someone standing at the entrance, catching him off guard.


    It was a small figure, holding an umbre and standing timidly by the door.


    Naruto was immediately reminded of some unpleasant memories but cautiously approached and asked, "Hinata, what are you doing here?"


    "I¡­" Hinata stuttered, unable to form a sentence.


    This actually made Naruto feel relieved. He thought that the old bastard Danzo was up to his usual scheme, waiting for him here.


    He knew that if something like that happened again, it would not end so well.


    It''s not that Naruto didn¡¯t have a temper, he was merely wary of Danzo''s Izanagi, which kept him from seeking revenge. As for caring about the vige, Naruto didn¡¯t care about it.


    The only people in this vige he had any fondness for were a small handful. It''s fortunate he arrived in this world a bitter. After all, had hee earlier, the streets of Konoha might already be full of Impure World Reincarnation¡¯s zombies.


    Hinata¡¯s hair was damp, and she stuttered, unsure of what to say. She couldn''t possibly admit she had no missions,cked the drive to train, and, feeling down, had wandered over here after a restless night.


    Three months ago, she couldn''t bear the awkward atmosphere and had left abruptly, but now she had returned.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto asked, turning his head as he used his key to open the apartment door.


    Hinata bit her lower lip. She was wearing a thick winter coat, with a few rain stains on her left arm. She tightly grasped an umbre, and the joints between her fingers were slightly pale from the pressure.


    In the dim light, her face could not be seen clearly.


    Naruto couldn''t quite figure out what was on Hinata''s mind, only assuming that something had happened


    He pushed the door open and immediately reached for the switch by the entrance, flicking it on with a snap.


    Warm yellow light spilled from the entrance, illuminating a small square of the corridor. Hinata stood there, dazed and silent, looking rather pitiful.


    "Hinata?" Naruto asked again.


    "Yesterday¡­" Hinata lowered her head and suddenly whispered, her voice very soft.


    "Yesterday? What about yesterday?" Naruto pondered for a moment before responding, "Yesterday, I ran into your sister at the food stalls. She said you''ve been pretty busytely."


    "Mission work is indeed tiring, Hinata, you¡­"


    Hearing his familiar tone, Hinata felt a block in her chest. It was as if something inside her had started to break, and all the emotions she''d been bottling up for three months poured out uncontrobly.


    "When you asked Hanabi to say hi yesterday, I... I wasn¡¯t doing well at all. I''ve been feeling worse and worse."


    Hinata lifted her head, but couldn''t meet Naruto''s eyes. She stared at the illuminated patch on the floor, tracing it with her gaze until it stopped at Naruto''s toes.


    Beyond that, a line of light and shadow separated the door from the corridor. Outside, rain continued to fall, and downstairs, the furniture store was on the verge of closing.


    Everything around was silent except for the sound of wind carrying damp rain mist.


    Naruto pressed his lips together, not saying anything unnecessary. He grabbed Hinata¡¯s wrist and, with a gentle pull, brought her into the entrance.


    "Come in first, let''s talk inside." Naruto said.


    Hinata still seemed lost in her thoughts, with a confused look in her eyes. She was dragged into the entrance hall, and the door mmed shut,pletely isting the sound of rain outside the corridor.


    The two people were bathed in bright yellow light, and a small area of <span>??the brown shoe cab in the entrance reflected the light.


    Naruto had to exert some effort to take the umbre from Hinata''s grasp, as her fingers were clenched so tightly around it that they had turned white.


    After finally prying her fingers open, he nced at her. Seeing no reaction from her, he contemted whether to help her remove her shoes.


    ¡®That doesn''t seem like a good idea.¡¯


    Hinata suddenly let out a small gasp,ing back to her senses. Realizing she had been pulled into the entryway, she panicked and stepped back abruptly. Fortunately, Naruto reacted quickly, catching her before she fell.


    "I''m sorry, I said something weird earlier." She apologized quietly.


    "Change your shoes first ande in." Naruto didn''t respond directly, but instead skillfully changed the subject and said, "Your clothes are all wet. I''ll help you dry themter."


    Hinata was slightly stunned and quickly waved her hand to refuse.


    "No, no! I... I just... I should go. Sorry for bothering you."


    With that, she bowed quickly and turned to leave.


    Naruto had already noticed that Hinata''s condition was not right, so how could he let her go at this time? He grabbed her arm with a snap and, making up an excuse, said, "The door is broken."

 Chapter 188 Taking Care of Hinata

    Chapter 188 Taking Care of Hinata


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    "Huh?" Hinata was confused by Naruto¡¯s words.


    "I mmed the door too hard just now and it''s broken!" Naruto said with a little embarrassment, "Anyway, just change your shoes first. I¡¯ll find some tools to fix it in a bit."


    Hinata couldn''t argue with Naruto, so she quietlyplied, her voice soft and faint.


    "Naruto-kun, aren''t you going to fix the door?" Hinata asked as she changed her shoes. When she looked up, she found that Naruto was staring at her feet intently.


    Suddenly, she felt a little embarrassed and blushed.


    "The door can be fixed anytime. I just noticed that your shoes seemed wet, so I was a little worried." He said with serious tone, but without any intention of averting his gaze.


    "That¡­" Hinata''s face turnedpletely red. Even though it was just her feet, Naruto¡¯s gaze made her feel like she was about to lose something important.


    ¡®It was all so strange!¡¯


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto asked without lifting his head.


    "Naruto-kun, could you... not look at me?" Hinata asked weakly, trying to struggle free.


    "I wasn''t looking at you. I noticed the floor in the entryway seems off, so I felt I should fix it someday." Naruto waved his hand and said, "It''s okay, just go ahead and do your thing."


    Hearing Naruto''s almost shameless words, Hinata blushed furiously but obeyed. She thought to herself, ¡®If Naruto-kun liked looking, then so be it.¡¯


    ¡®Anyway, anyway. It''s just feet, at least it''s something about me he likes.¡¯


    Naruto wasn¡¯t really that shameless. After staring for a while, he left with satisfaction.


    He returned to the kitchen, expertly boiling water and opening the window. He slid the ss door on the balcony open about an arm¡¯s width. On his way past the sofa, he grabbed a thin nket and draped it over Kurama, covering himpletely.


    Kurama actually wasn''t too irritated. After being woken up by the nket, he simply stuck his head out and looked around. When he saw Hinata sitting stiffly on the sofa, he immediately shrank back and continued to sleep.


    ¡®Hmph, foolish humans.¡¯


    ¡®So boring.¡¯


    Naruto poured a cup of hot water and handed it to Hinata, asking her to warm her hands with it before asking, "Where''s your coat?"


    Hinata hesitated for a moment before obediently taking off her coat and handing it to Naruto. Naruto took it but didn''t immediately dry it, and instead, he hung it on the side.


    He had to figure out one thing, what did Hinata mean when she said she has been feeling worse and worse.


    However, Naruto didn''t ask directly. He knew Hinata well. She was perfect in many ways, but her heart was too tightly shut. Her first reaction to problems was always to avoid them or suffer silently.


    She was so timid that even Naruto found it unreasonable. After all, she was the Hyuga n''s eldest miss, a legitimate member of the main family, free from the curse of the Caged Bird Seal.


    If Naruto had such a status, forget about Hiashi treating him harshly. If he couldn''t provoke Hiashi into having a heart attack, he''d consider it a loss.


    Why should a youngdy put up with all this nonsense?


    While Naruto had guessed part of the source of Hinata''s pressure, he couldn''t just say it to her face: That her father was a real jerk!


    Especially in moments like these, where the art of conversation was especially crucial.


    "Have you been under too much pressure recently?" Naruto chose his words carefully. "If there''s something troubling you, you can talk to me."


    "No." Hinata shrank back a little and said in a low voice.


    "Are you sure?" Naruto frowned at her stubbornness. "You''re even wary of aw-abiding viger like me. That''s a bit unkind, isn''t it?"


    "Huh?" Hinata didn''t quite understand what Naruto meant and her body trembled slightly, "I... I''m just feeling a bit down. It¡¯ll pass in a few days, maybe I just haven''t worked hard enough."


    "Huh? What''s that got to do with effort?" Naruto frowned slightly, then stood up and sat directly next to Hinata.


    "Uh... it should... it should have something to do with it, right?" Hinata leaned back slightly, "If I could just try a little harder, maybe..."


    "Maybe what?" Naruto took the opportunity to press her. He knew Hinata''s personality very well. If he didn''t ask immediately, he might never get an answer! This was the time to dig deeper!


    "Maybe... maybe I¡¯d be stronger." Hinata said hesitantly, her voice growing softer and softer.


    "That''s not necessarily true. If effort alone worked, what would we need teachers for?" Naruto retorted bluntly, "Besides, everyone has different foundations and talents. It''s not fair to measure everyone by the same standards."


    "Even though that may be true¡­" Hinata was a little flustered and didn''t know how to respond.


    "It''s not just ''may be''¡­ it''s the truth." Naruto sighed, reached out and patted Hinata on the head, then said, "Now, tell me, what are your strengths?"


    "Umm... my eyes." Hinata said carefully.


    "So you know it''s your eyes. Last time I watched you train, you kept clinging to Gentle Fist." Naruto said, "Although it may be a bit harsh to say this, not everyone is a genius like Hyuga Neji."


    Hearing this, Hinata lowered her head.


    "But Hinata, you are different from Hyuga Neji." At this point, Naruto suddenly leaned closer and lowered his voice. Even though there were only the two of them in the living room, he pulled Hinata over.


    As if afraid that others might hear what he said, he whispered in her ear.


    "If you train with your Byakugan, you might be even stronger than Hyuga Neji. There''s no need to cling to Gentle Fist. When you keep insisting on walking someone else''s path, it''s easy to lose yourself."


    Hinata was so nervous that she froze in ce, unable to move.


    The warm breath kept circling around her ears, and every word hit her heart like a heavy hammer. She opened her eyes wide and her nerves were trembling.


    Especially when Naruto deliberately sniffed as he pulled away from her. The small gesture didn''t escape Hinata''s notice, making her cheeks flush red.


    "I-I understand."


    She had initially wanted to tell him that she had arrived early and waited for a long time, feeling like her heart was drenched in rain. Her father didn''t care about her at all, and the n members kept a respectful distance.


    When ites to training, no matter how much she trained, she was always the one with the poorest aptitude.


    Even the person she liked was taken away from her, as if the whole world was against her. Nothing went smoothly, and the future seemed hopeless.


    But the words wouldn¡¯te out. No one would easily share their troubles with others. Sometimes, thoughts that circled in one''s mind would begin to calm down halfway through.


    "That''s good. Are you hungry?" Naruto stood up and prepared to help her dry her coat, but suddenly turned around and asked.


    "Not hungry." Hinata shook her head.


    "Two servings of takoyaki, plus two¡­" After reciting a long list of food items, Naruto suddenly turned back and looked at Hinata, who was sitting obediently, and squinted his eyes.


    ¡®Just ordering these probably wouldn''t be enough for you.¡¯


    Fortunately, all Naruto¡¯s money is in the seal space, and Hinata''s appetite wasn''t going to bankrupt him. They could keep changing restaurants. After all, since she was already here, the least he could do was fill her up.


    By the third restaurant, Hinata was feeling a bit embarrassed. She nced at Naruto, who looked like he was about to burst from overeating, and softly suggested, "Maybe... we should stop here. I should head back."


    "No way!" Naruto coughed and patted his chest before swallowing the takoyaki, "I''m still good!"

 Chapter 189 The Snow Princess

    Chapter 189 The Snow Princess


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    Eating with girls is a mystery. Some people have seaside BBQs at night, while others, after three rounds of eating, pass out in a girl''s arms from overeating.


    Luckily, the protagonist''s halo offers protection, and he barely escapes with his life.


    "Naruto-kun, let''s go back." Hinata said, her voice almost in tears. She was genuinely worried that Naruto might die in front of her, from something as silly as overeating.


    "No way! I can still eat. You must not be full yet, right?" The yellow-haired boy said stubbornly, "Come on! Let¡¯s go to another ce¡­ and eat."


    "Don''t push yourself." Hinata was truly scared now, tears welling up in her eyes. She was nearly begging him not to die, "Can we please go back?"


    "No!" Naruto replied firmly.


    Hearing this, Hinata was on the verge of crying, tears glistening in her eyes. She was just impulsive today and wanted to talk to Naruto about her troubles, not to mourn him!


    "Well, we can¡¯t stop¡­ unless..." Naruto suddenly turned around and said to Hinata, "If you tell me what''s been bothering you, I¡¯ll stop eating."


    Well, what a great way to hold someone hostage with a simple ultimatum.


    "Okay." Hinata had no choice but to agree.


    Despite her concern, she couldn¡¯t help but want tough, though she also felt like crying. It seemed that no one but Naruto could truly understand her feelings. Hinata was timid, but it wasn¡¯t that she disliked talking.


    In reality, it wasn''t anything too serious, and Naruto always had a way to get Hinata to open up.


    Seeing her finally agree, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.


    Konoha Street.


    The two of them walked along a dim alleyway on the backside of Konoha''s main street. There was a faint streemp every few dozen meters, some of which were broken.


    Fortunately, this road only leads to a dead end, and the only direction left is the Hyuga n¡¯spound.


    Byakugan could see through any darkness, and skilled users could even spot the tiniest stones on the road. Hinata could do that too, but she wouldn¡¯t activate her Byakugan at a moment like this.


    The two walked side by side, moving slowly. Hinata¡¯s voice was soft, intermittently sharing bits of her worries. Naruto just listened quietly, asionally interrupting to ask a question or two.


    Hinata''s performance has always been lukewarm since she was a child. She has not made any name for herself despite holding the title of Hyuga n¡¯s eldest princess. While she¡¯s not bad, she was certainly not outstanding either.


    She was somewhere between mediocre and above average, but her peers were none other than the Konoha 12.


    They are the elite among the elites of the new generation. Although they are still at the level of Genin, they are growing very quickly and just temporarilyck experience.


    Time would bridge all gaps, and many among the Sandaime Hokage¡¯s faction believed that they would one day be the pirs of Konoha¡­ Well, except for Sasuke.


    The defection of Sasuke was an irreversible fact, and there was no point dwelling on it.


    Naruto didn''t know whether the Bikochu that the higher-ups had asked him and Team 8 to catch was ever put to use, but he didn¡¯t care. That sort of thing would never escape Orochimaru¡¯s eyes anyway.


    In fact, among the Konoha 12, even though Naruto waszy and didn¡¯t take on many missions, hisbat strength was still recognized as being in the top tier.


    Everyone was aware of his status as Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki. And since that mission in the Land of Rivers, even Neji had stoppedparing himself to Naruto.


    Neji considered himself a genius, but fate had him encounter a monster.


    Who else could be so sharp, seizing the opportunity to take down Kurosuki Raiga and the person on his back without a moment''s hesitation? It was as if Naruto were a ruthless mission machine.


    Hinata didn¡¯t know the specifics of the missions Naruto had carried out, and she only knew that whenever others spoke of Naruto¡¯s strength, they fell silent. It was as if Naruto was a mountain beyond mountains, standing alone in his own league.


    For someone whose strength towered over her like several mountains, Hinata trusted Naruto''s words. She didn¡¯t know if the path she was currently on was correct, but maybe, just as Naruto suggested, being flexible would be better. And there was no need to rigidly follow the path Neji had taken.


    The troubles of people are never the same, and it is extremely difficult to empathize with others.


    Just like for Jiraiya, the most beautiful sound in the world was theughter of women. But for Might Guy, the most beautiful sound in the world is undoubtedly the crisp sound of his body cracking as he ascended another level in strength.


    But for a certain blonde-haired ninja, the most pleasant sound in the world was a crisp, mundane ¡®Ding!¡¯.


    Just like now.


    [Ding!]


    [Option 1: Protect Princess F¨±n, Kazahana Koyuki, as she returns to the Land of Snow to overthrow the tyranny there. Reward: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.]


    [Option 2: Threaten Kazahana Koyuki to hand over the geothermal generator, forcing the people of the Land of Snow to pay taxes. Reward: Max-level Flying Thunder God Technique (Gift: x6 Flying Thunder God Kunai that only the host can see).]


    The panel had popped up, but Naruto remained expressionless.


    He was still listening to Hinata¡¯s sporadic ount of her new troubles, and he casually closed the panel.


    ¡®The timeline for the ¡®Princess Fuun¡¯ mission should have urred before Sasuke''s defection, but it was shifted because Sasuke defected early?¡¯


    ¡®Spring is indeed approaching. If Kazahana Koyuki were toe to the Land of Fire to film a movie, she would probably choose this time period.¡¯


    The Land of Fire¡¯s winter is brief. A few rains will melt the snow, and spring will soon arrive. Temperatures will gradually rise, and soon it will be another long, hot summer.


    Choosing an option could wait. First, Naruto wanted to see what was happening on Tsunade¡¯s end.


    Anyway, he had refused the suggestion of training alone, so he would probably still have toplete the mission. But based on Naruto''s understanding of Tsunade, she would still dy the reorganization of Team 7.


    This time, he might be in another temporary team. But whether he would be added as a temporary member or whether it would be an ad-hoc team formed for a specific mission remained unclear.


    However, for a mission of this level, at least one Jonin would apany them. Given the uncertainty, Naruto decided to hold back for now.


    "You don''t need to worry too much about what others think, just do what feels right for you." Naruto said to Hinata at the right moment, "I¡¯ve always thought you¡¯re already excellent, Hinata, there is no need to be so anxious."


    "Time is on your side, so just take it slow."


    Hinata looked slightly dazed. The night wind picked up just then, lifting Naruto''s tousled blonde hair. She realized that in the past year, Naruto seemed to have developed faster than she had, now standing a full head taller than her.


    His face now bore the chiseled features of a young man, and his voice had be deeper.


    "Okay." Hinata nodded, feeling her cheeks warm up. She exhaled a puff of white breath and finally smiled.


    ¡­


    About ten dayster.


    Tsunade summoned Naruto to the Hokage Tower again, and Sakura was already waiting there. She greeted him with a lively wave.


    Tsunade, who was sitting in the Hokage''s chair, cleared her throat and said, "A new mission hase up. Mitarashi Anko will lead the team, with Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki forming a three-man team to carry out this special mission."

 Chapter 190 The Runaway Princess of the Land of Snow

    Chapter 190 The Runaway Princess of the Land of Snow


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    "Tsunade-sama, we haven''t been told what the mission is yet?" Sakura asked. She didn''t seem to be abnormal.


    "It''s an A-rank mission: to escort the actress, Fujikaze Yukie, who ys the role of Princess Fuun. She is going to the Land of Snow for a film shoot. I heard it''s the final installment of the new movie series, ¡®The Adventures of Princess Fuun¡¯."


    Tsunade yawned absentmindedly and continued speaking with a weak look, "The client is Fujikaze Yukie¡¯s manager, and the payment is quite generous. Since the mission isn''t deemed too dangerous, Konoha epted it without much hesitation."


    Naruto knew she was just craving a drink when he saw her state, and felt somewhat speechless. Hearing her exnation, he thought to himself, ¡®This mission was anything but safe. The people of the Land of Snow were just waiting for Kazahana Koyuki to walk right into their hands.¡¯


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t like a stage name would truly disguise her identity as the former princess of the Land of Snow, Koyuki Kazahana.¡¯


    ¡®If it were just about dealing with the people from the Land of Snow, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal, but having to protect the powerless Koyuki made the mission significantly more difficult.¡¯


    "Why is Anko leading this mission?" Naruto protested, clearly dissatisfied, "Where¡¯s Kakashi-sensei? Shouldn''t he be leading the team? And we''re only two Genin."


    "Kakashi is busy carrying out a confidential mission and can''t make it back for the time being." Tsunade nced at Naruto and said, "Mitarashi Anko is also an extremely exceptional Jonin. You should have more faith in your seniors."


    "It''s not that I don¡¯t trust her." Naruto understood the underlying message in Tsunade''s words. Kakashi was out gaining experience, barreling down the path of no return to bing the next Hokage.


    "It''s just... Tsunade-sama, could you provide some equipment?" Naruto hesitated for a long time before finally saying something, causing Tsunade to frown.


    As they walked out of the Hokage¡¯s Office, Sakura quickened her pace to catch up with Naruto, walking beside him with her hands behind her back, and asked with a smile, "You seem very worried about this mission. Do you know something?"


    "No, I just don¡¯t want to deal with such a troublesome woman." Naruto replied with a grin, "After all, she is a movie star, so she¡¯s bound to have some personality."


    "That''s true." Sakura pondered, "If she¡¯s really that much trouble, we could always just quietly kill her on the way."


    Naruto: ¡°???¡±


    "I''m kidding." Sakura nudged him yfully, "She¡¯s the person we¡¯re supposed to protect."


    "You''d better be!" Naruto nced at her with aplex expression, thinking that this girl was really dangerous, "But it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way to handle it."


    "What is it?"


    "You''ll find out when the timees." Naruto said, looking straight ahead. After walking side by side for a while, he seemed to remember something and turned to remind her, "It should be very cold in the Land of Snow. You should wear something warmer."


    "Now that you mention it, I remember." Sakura added, "That Princess Fuun seems to be very popr, almost to the point of being a household name."


    "Is she that famous?" Naruto asked with a puzzled expression. He knew that Koyuki was very famous, but he didn¡¯t realize she had that level of fame.


    "Yeah, after all, it''s rare to see a girl with that kind of heroic face." Sakura said with a smile, "It¡¯s hard to exin, but it''s almost as if she really had been a princess."


    "Is that so?" He replied perfunctorily, while thinking in his mind, ¡®Well, she is indeed the escaped princess of the Land of Snow.¡¯


    The two stopped, having reached the lounge on the first floor of the Hokage Tower, where they waited for their team leader, Mitarashi Anko.


    About half an hourter, Anko, with her characteristicted outfit, bustled into the lounge. Despite her attire, she still exuded a vibrant and generous presence, her face full of youthful energy.


    "There¡¯s been a problem," Anko announced as she pushed the door open, "Princess Fuun has gone missing in Konoha."


    "Hmm?"


    "Princess Fuun is missing?" Naruto frowned slightly, "That''s not even her real name. Seriously, we should be calling her that long stage name, right?"


    Sakura, standing nearby, bit her lip, feeling a bit amused, ¡®These two were remarkably simr in their tendency to ignore people¡¯s names.¡¯


    "Ugh, her name is so long, and it¡¯s just awkward to say." Anko exined, "Even when shouting for her in the streets, you¡¯d think you could call her name twice, but because it¡¯s so long, you can only call her once."


    "So, let¡¯s just call her Princess Fuun then. After all, she¡¯s the one who ys Princess Fuun in the movie."


    "That does make some sense." Naruto said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "We could also call her ¡®Princess Yuki¡¯. It sounds better."


    "That kind of old-fashioned name only appears on movie posters. It''s way too cheesy." Anko responded with surprising seriousness.


    Sakura, sitting nearby, watched the two as they ignored the issue of the missing Princess Fuun and instead started debating the length of her stage name. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that this mission wouldn¡¯t be as simple as it seemed.


    Anko''s over-the-top antics during the second round of the Chunin Exams had left asting impression on everyone. Who would have thought that this entric Tokubetsu Jonin was once the top disciple under one of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru?


    Sakura, uninterested in the fate of Princess Fuun, propped her chin on her hand and stared at the two who were now fervently discussing what to call Princess Fuun.


    It wasn¡¯t until their conversation turned to what stage name would be most suitable if they were to debut someday that Sakura lightly knocked on the table and cleared her throat.


    "Aren¡¯t we supposed to be looking for someone right now?"


    "Yes! We need to find her!" Anko immediately made an abstract decision, "Let''s split up. I''ll go ask Princess Fuun¡¯s agent manager if there are any leads."


    "I''ll ask passers-by nearby. Princess Fuun is so famous that she¡¯s bound to be recognized wherever she goes." Sakura suggested.


    "I''m going to the bathroom," Naruto raised his hand and said.


    "Okay." Anko nodded, but quickly realized something was off, "No way! You need toe with us. Don¡¯t even think about cking off."


    "When I go to the bathroom, I''ll ask someone to go to thedies¡¯ room and look for her."


    "There¡¯s no need to go that far! Dammit!" Anko smacked Naruto on the head, "Just go and thene back to help us look."


    It is not an easy task for three people to search the whole vige for a famous woman.


    Naruto, frustrated by theck of progress, gritted his teeth and managed to get an article of clothing that Koyuki had previously worn from her manager.


    Anko was slightly stunned when she saw this. She didn''t expect Naruto to be so resourceful.


    "Kakashi taught you how to use the Summoning Technique with his Ninken? Impressive." Anko praised.


    Under her praise, Naruto put on the piece of clothing, and nced at Anko with a puzzled look. He frowned and said, "No, I''m just a little cold."


    The early spring chill sent cold winds whipping through the street. At this moment, Anko stood on the street with a stiff expression on her face.


    Naruto shrugged indifferently and quickly formed hand seals.


    "Transformation Technique!"


    With a bang, a puff of white smoke appeared, and Naruto transformed into Koyuki, even spinning around in front of Sakura and asking, ¡°Does it look convincing?¡±


    "Yes, it does." Sakura said with a smile.

 Chapter 191 Stripping!

    Chapter 191 Stripping!


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    In the afternoon, in a quiet, chilly tavern.


    The door curtain was lifted, and blinding sunlight poured in, along with the noisy bustle from outside.


    "What is there to look for? Let¡¯s just go on with the mission first. It¡¯s just acting, right? I can do that too." Naruto grumbled indignantly, while still looked like Koyuki.


    "Damn it, what nonsense are you spouting!" Anko eximed, "Keep searching seriously! Also, how long are you nning to parade around in that outfit?!"


    "Do you have any idea how much attention you¡¯re drawing in that form? You nearly got chased by crazed fans just a moment ago."


    "So what? They can''t catch up with us. Just run a fewps on the rooftops, and those fools willpletely lose their way." Naruto said nonchntly.


    "I am your team leader now! You better get that straight!" Anko grumbled, feeling a little depressed.


    "Will the team leadere to the tavern to look for people during the day?"


    "That''s adult experience for you. Alcohol is the bestpanion for escaping reality." Anko said while still maintaining a serious expression.


    "Is that so? I''m going to the bathroom."


    "You! Damn it!" Anko suddenly felt like she was punching cotton. She clenched her fists as she watched Naruto walk towards the tavern bathroom.


    Sakura remained silent the whole time, watching the two people bickering and ying around. No one knew what she was thinking.


    Outside the restroom, Naruto hesitated for a moment in front of the men''s and women''s restrooms, then turned and entered the men''s room. A drunken man, who is busy relieving himself, turned his head and was startled to see a woman enter.


    Naruto, unbothered, continued his business, even whistling at the man when he noticed the man staring at him.


    The peculiar encounter continued at the bar restroom door when Koyuki stepped out, only to see someone who looked exactly like her.


    Realizing something was amiss, Koyuki turned to run, but Naruto calmly called after her.


    "If you run away, I''m going to walk down the street and start stripping. Stripping! With! Your! Face!"


    "You!" Koyuki, who was experiencing the Shinobi World''s AI face-changing technology for the first time, stood there while gritting her teeth.


    She wore a khaki-colored women''s trench coat with a pink long-sleeve shirt underneath, her long ck hair cascading down, exuding a mature woman''s charm. Her sharp face held a touch ofnguid nobility.


    The most eye-catching thing is Koyuki¡¯s eyes, as when staring at it, it''s like watching a flowing story.


    "Naruto! What¡¯re you up to¡­" Anko approached, ready to scold Naruto for his usual antics, but stopped short when she saw two Koyuki standing there.


    "Hey! We found Princess Fuun!" Anko eximed excitedly. Hearing this, Sakura also emerged from the shadows, with hands behind her back and silently casted a nce at Koyuki.


    "Tsk!" Koyuki''s eyes shed with disdain as she nced over the three of them, "I don''t know who you are, but I''m leaving now! I suggest you don''t follow me."


    Naruto didn''t say a word and simply took off a piece of clothing.


    "You''re so annoying! I hate it the most when people threaten me!" Koyuki suddenly snorted and said indifferently, "Do whatever you want. I''ve had enough of this lousy job!"


    "Well¡­" Anko quickly tried to smooth things over, "We are Konoha''s Shinobi. We have been hired by your manager to protect you as you travel to the Land of Snow¡­"


    "I¡¯m not going to that ce!" Koyuki suddenly shouted in anger, "Who gave him the right to hire you to protect me? This is coercion!"


    "You can''t say that, Princess Fuun, actually..." Anko smiled awkwardly.


    "Oh, I¡¯m done with Princess Fuun! If anyone wants to act, let them! This fake life¡­" Koyuki said with a sneer.


    "That''s not going to work."


    "Enough! You guys, can you please just disappear right away!!"


    Hearing this, Naruto thought for a moment, then canceled the Transformation Technique with a bang. In a sh, he pulled out a damp cloth and swiftly covered Koyuki''s mouth with it.


    ¡°Mmph! Mmph!!¡±


    Two secondster, Koyuki lost consciousness and fell to the ground.


    "You¡­" Anko was stunned by the scene that had just unfolded, while Sakura watched with her usual expression, blinking withoutment.


    "Ah, I might have overdone it a bit. This is the medicine that Tsunade-sama gave me." Naruto scratched his face, looking troubled. "She''ll probably sleep for a whole day."


    Turning around, Naruto noticed Anko staring at him and asked in confusion, "What''s wrong? We found her. Let¡¯s get moving. Her manager is still waiting for us."


    "You..." Anko seemed on the verge of saying something, but after a deep breath, she gave up, "Forget it, I''ll take Princess Fuun to report back first."


    As she said that, Anko hoisted the unconscious Koyuki onto her shoulder and told Naruto and Sakura, "You two go and get ready. We¡¯ll meet in the Hokage Tower in two hours."


    "Okay." The two responded.


    The escaped princess of the Land of Snow was finally apprehended, and Anko let out a long sigh of relief as she quickly escorted the target out of the tavern.


    In the now quiet tavern¡­


    Afterpleting the mission, Naruto let out a tired sigh. This was supposed to be something Kakashi would handle, but with an unreliable and inept Jonin as their team leader, he had to step up instead.


    ¡®In the face of a mission, hesitation is not an option¡­ What kind of Shinobi hesitates?¡¯


    Just as he was about to leave, he noticed Sakura had been staring at him. Naruto couldn''t help but narrow his eyes slightly and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing." Sakura replied with a smile. She looked around before pulling Naruto into a dim corner of the tavern.


    It was just around noon, and the tavern was nearly empty.


    The owner was dozing off at the table, with the only light flickering weakly above. The few remaining patrons had left after the earliermotion, leaving just the three of them.


    The soft sound of the owner''s snoring continued, and it seemed like he wouldn''t wake up anytime soon.


    "Sakura you..." Naruto felt a chill run down his spine.


    "Don''t worry, there''s no one here." Sakura leaned close and whispered into his ear, "No one will know. It will only take a moment."


    Her cold hand traced his cheek, sliding down to the back of his neck. Naruto didn''t understand what Sakura was trying to do, but he could feel the coolness at the back of his neck.


    Sakura''s fingertips lingered on a specific spot at the center of his nape, sending a strange sensation through him, like having an icy popsicle ced against his chest.


    "All done." Sakura slowly stepped back and pulled her hand back with a satisfied smile on her face.


    Naruto, still puzzled, asked, "What was that?"


    "I just wanted you to remember this feeling. I¡¯m probably the first to do it, right?" Her eyes curved into a smile, but there was something unsettling about it.


    The more restrained she was, the more uneasy Naruto felt.


    "Where did you learn that?"


    "From... a book."

 Chapter 192 At Sea

    Chapter 192 At Sea


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    Naruto held his breath and was silent for three seconds before saying, "Stop reading useless books."


    "¡­ Oh."


    After saying that, Naruto muttered under his breath as he walked away, "What scene was that from? I don''t recall seeing it. Did Pervy Sage release a new book again?"


    Sakura pursed her lips but said nothing, slowly following behind him.


    Two hours passed by in a sh.


    Anko, now dressed in a warm coat, carried a few skewers of hot red bean dumplings. The film crew''s ship was already docked at the harbor, and Koyuki had also been taken aboard.


    It was said that she was sleeping peacefully, like a Sleeping Beauty. Unfortunately, the one who knocked her out wasn''t a prince, but a certain heartless blond.


    "Damn it! You! You''re the one I trust the least!" Anko shouted as she grabbed Naruto by the cor, "Show some respect to our client! We''re Shinobi, not bandits."


    "Okay~!" Naruto drawledzily, showing little concern.


    The trio walked in a disorganized line. Anko felt exhausted and convinced that she and Naruto were fated to sh. She knew this mission was bound to be anything but simple.


    Sakura was walking beside Naruto, and suddenly, without telling Anko, she secretly grabbed Naruto''s hand from behind, squeezed it tightly, and then immediately let go.


    Naruto was puzzled, his face full of questions. The action was so quick that Anko didn''t notice anything at all. Sakura didn''t say anything either and simply smiled at him.


    Feeling slightly confused but toozy to probe further, Naruto shifted his focus back to the mission, ¡®As long as the mission waspleted, nothing else mattered.¡¯


    He then casually pulled up the system interface.


    The previous options still lingered on the screen, awaiting his choice. There was a countdown in the upper right corner of the panel, showing that there were only three hours left to decide.


    The film crew''s ship hadn''t set sail yet, and in three hours, they might still be drifting at sea.


    ¡®The options couldn''t be dyed any longer¡­ I had to choose now.¡¯


    Option one was to protect Koyuki as she traveled to the Land of Snow to overthrow the tyrannical rule. Option two was to threaten Koyuki into handing over the geothermal generator and force the Land of Snow to pay taxes.


    The two are not actually in conflict and could even be executed consecutively.


    If he has to choose between the two, there is no need to choose the first option. After all, the key to the geothermal generator is on Koyuki. If he gets it, he still needs to deal with the current ruler of the Land of Snow.


    Moreover, the mission''s objective was to protect Koyuki as she traveled to the Land of Snow to film a movie. Regardless of the circumstances, her safety had to be ensured.


    ¡®Option Two.¡¯


    With a thought, option two flickered and disappeared, then the system interface slowly faded away.


    Despite the system choices, Naruto didn''t want to deal with overlyplicated matters. He picked option two simply because the reward would allow him to upgrade the Flying Thunder God Technique.


    Had the reward been different, Naruto might have chosen the first option just for convenience. Having made the system choice, he set aside thoughts of the system and focused on observing the situation.


    Seaside, at a port.


    As thete winter receded, the coastal mountains stood still, with most of the trees barren, thendscape filled with an air of destion.


    asionally, small patches of green buds could be seen sprouting. A figure dashed down the mountain, riding a bicycle, only to crash violently into the sea, drawing the attention of those nearby.


    Sakura had already boarded the ship and didn''t pay attention to the person who had fallen into the water. Instead, she focused her gaze on a particr spot on the dock.


    There, a blond-haired figure crouched by the shore, grinning and watching themotion with lively enthusiasm, gesturing animatedly. Soon, he locked eyes with the unlucky person in the water, and the two began exchanging insults.


    The person who fell into the water, red-faced and cursing, climbed back onto the shore with the help of the sailors. Then, without wasting any time, he ran angrily to the yellow-haired boy to argue.


    With a loud ssh, the unlucky man was hurled into the sea by the yellow-haired boy, forming a graceful arc through the air.


    "Hahaha! Is that brat a Shinobi?"


    "Which vige does he belong to? Throwing people into the sea¡­ Is he not afraid of punishment?"


    "He''s not wearing a forehead protector, he must be a Rogue Shinobi! Or maybe not even a Shinobi at all. If it were me, I could do that too¡­"


    The ship rocked unsteadily as it sailed.


    In the distance, the sea met the sky, forming a fine silver line on the horizon. Anko was busy exchanging paperwork with the client, seemingly in the middle of a heated argument.


    With nothing to do, Naruto and Sakura stood on the deck, leaning over to look down.


    The sea was as clear and blue as the sky above, with turbulent white waves churning like fish darting in every direction. The salty sea breeze felt sticky against their faces, with a bitterness much stronger than soda water.


    "So this is what the sea looks like." Sakura stood about three meters to Naruto''s left, with half of her body leaning out from the railing.


    ¡°This is my first time seeing it.¡± She said.


    "Me too." Naruto said, "If you keep heading west from the Valley of the End, you can see the sea. When Sasuke leftst time, I almost chased him all the way to the Valley of the End."


    Hearing the word ¡®Sasuke¡¯, Sakura fell silent for a moment, pulling her clothes tighter around her, "Do you still want to bring Sasuke back?"


    "Huh?" Naruto instinctively shook his head, "Not at all."


    "Alright." Sakura didn¡¯t ask further.


    "So you''re all here, huh? Saves me the trouble of looking for you one by one." Anko¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind them, "This journey''s going to be a long one."


    Naruto and Sakura turned around to see Anko approaching, wrapped in a cotton coat and scarf.


    The clothes she was wearing were quite warm, though her open fis training outfit still revealed her generous figure, as bold and unabashed as ever.


    "Won''t your chest feel cold if you don''t button up your clothes?" Naruto asked bluntly.


    Anko stopped in her tracks, nced down at her unbuttoned jacket, then looked up at Naruto with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face.


    "Your focus is a kind of weird, damn it!"


    "I''m just curious." Naruto asked, "So, is it cold?"


    Anko: "¡­"


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Having never been out to sea before, Naruto had a restless night. Anko had mentioned that the journey would be long, and indeed, they had been drifting on the sea for an entire day without feeling like they were making much progress.


    Even if someone told him that the ship was just going in circles on the sea, Naruto would still believe it. Not being able to see the destination at all made life on board felt monotonous and dull.


    At dawn, Sakura stopped by to bring him some food.


    "Did you not sleep well either?" He asked while eating.


    "Yeah, the ship''s too unsteady." Sakura didn''t look very well, with bloodshot eyes. "The crew said we¡¯d get used to it in a few days, and the return trip should be much better."


    "What about that woman?"


    "You mean Anko-sensei?" Sakura asked.


    "Who else could it be? She¡¯s sharing a room with you, isn''t she?"


    "Well¡­" Sakura suddenly chuckled, " Do you really want to know? But if you find out about such embarrassing thing, she¡¯ll probably kill you."


    In the afternoon.


    There¡¯s good news and bad news.


    The good news was that Koyuki had woken up.


    The bad news was she hade while wielding a sword.

 Chapter 193 The Calm Before The Storm

    Chapter 193 The Calm Before The Storm


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    "That damned brat!" Koyuki was restrained by her attendants, "Let me go! I want to..."


    Over the sea, white birds glided across the blue sky, with the zing sun casting its warm rays.


    The sea breeze tousled her hair as Koyuki¡¯s gaze passed through the crew¡¯s props and people, finally locking onto the blondezily leaning against the railing in the distance.


    Naruto, seemingly unconcerned, was reclining against the railings, basking in the sun. His golden hair fluttered messily over his forehead, and he wore a fitted, fleece-lined ckbat suit, his eyes wandering elsewhere.


    Sakura stood beside him. She had been following Naruto since they boarded the ship. She rarely spoke, just following him and watching the seascape in silence.


    Initially, Naruto found her uncharacteristically quiet, a stark contrast from the Sakura he used to know. But eventually, he grew ustomed to it.


    ¡®Whether it was Pink Sakura or Dark Sakura, as long as she was obedient, she was Good Sakura.¡¯


    For some reason, Naruto sensed that Dark Sakura seemed especiallypliant to his words. Over time, he didn''t mind this change.


    Originally, he had little interest in Sakura, mainly to avoid getting entangled in the drama of bringing Sasuke back. Now, it seemed that wasn¡¯t an issue anymore. After all, ever since Dark Sakura took over, her feelings towards Sasuke seemed to have faded.


    Naruto¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯t linger on Sakura for long. On the other side of the deck, Koyuki had already been restrained by her manager. The props team was setting up the scene, seemingly preparing for filming.


    "This sea area is rtively calm, so the crew is rushing the shooting schedule." Anko suddenly jumped out from a corner andnded steadily with a thud.


    "Princess Fuun still holds a grudge against you, so if you have nothing to do, you''d better stay away from her and not provoke her." Anko turned her head and nced at Naruto, and warned.


    "Who wants to provoke her?" Naruto curled his lips, "I¡¯m just trying to get the mission over with as soon as possible. Dealing with a fussy client is a hassle."


    The crew continued assembling the stage background, with lighting and cameras already in ce.


    In the distance, Koyuki had given up struggling and sat resignedly on a small stool, surrounded by several people who were busy applying makeup and fixing her hair.


    A crimson brush swept across Koyuki¡¯s full lips, making them appear bright and glossy.


    The backdrop was the endless sea, and Koyuki stared nkly ahead, her expressionzy and indifferent. Her blue eyes shifted slightly, seemingly ncing in Naruto¡¯s direction.


    "It seems like she¡¯s looking at us?" Sakuramented.


    "Just ignore it."


    The filming soonmenced, with actors and props in position.


    Koyuki yed the role of Princess Fuun, a courageous and resilient princess fighting to reim her kingdom. Her character was able to face her inner fears and bravely draw her sword.


    Interestingly, this character is the exact opposite of Koyuki¡¯s real personality.


    She is timid, evasive andzy.


    However, apart from Naruto and the former minister of the Land of Snow, who posed as her manager, almost no one knew Koyuki¡¯s true identity. This only added an extrayer of irony to the situation.


    Naruto stared at Koyuki, who had finished dressing up and was kneeling in the set to prepare her emotions. When the pperboard clicked, Koyuki¡¯s expression instantly changed, and she slipped seamlessly into her role.


    "Princess Fuun is so amazing." Sakura praised, then added in a quieter voice, "Her acting is really good."


    The voyage that should have taken about seven or eight days had stretched into half a month due to a persistent sea storm, leaving them adrift without reaching the Land of Snow. The extreme weather made filming impossible, forcing everyone to huddle in the ship¡¯s cabin, waiting in silence.


    Even for Shinobi, there wasn¡¯t much differencepared to ordinary people when facing the vast sea.


    The storm raged across the sea, and the crew¡¯s only hopey in the food reserves within the cabin. But as time dragged on, everyone¡¯s anxiety grew.


    On this ship, the director held more authority than the captain and would visit the crew members daily, offering reassurance. He repeated the sameforting words over and over, and these scenes would typicallyst for half the day.


    "Everyone, don¡¯t worry! Storms at sea are quitemon, and the route has been verified by the Land of Water¡¯s Shinobi, so it¡¯s absolutely safe!"


    "The fresh water and food on the ship are also enough tost everyone for two months. In three days at most, we should be near the waters close to the Land of Snow."


    The director''s hoarse voice echoed in the corridor.


    Naruto stayed in the small cabin, ncing out the porthole at the ominous rolling clouds. He flopped onto the bed with a smack, muttering inint.


    "We really can''t avoid the storm, huh? At this rate, ¡®Snow Princess Ninja Scroll¡¯ is going to turn into ''Robinson Crusoe¡¯."


    Knock, knock, knock.


    There was a knock on the door, and Naruto turned over and wanted to draw his sword upon hearing this, but he forced himself to hold it back.


    He got up from the bed and opened the door, and Sakura was standing at the door with food in her hands.


    Since the day before yesterday, food has been distributed in portions.


    Before this, no one could have expected such a thing to happen. In order to avoid the storm at sea, they ended up circling around into an even more dangerous area.


    "What brings you here?" Naruto asked.


    The corridor was filled with a salty, damp smell. To save energy, the lights were off, so the entire hallway seemed shrouded in a gray fog at this time.


    The sound of waves crashing was clearly audible from the deck, and everything around them swayed slightly.


    Fortunately, both Naruto and Sakura were Shinobi. They habitually used Chakra on their feet to cling to the floor, preventing themselves from being tossed around. Anko was constantly by Koyuki''s side as her guard and had no time to bother with them.


    "I couldn''t finish mine, so I brought some to share with you." Sakura said with a smile.


    The food was all stored in the hold at the bottom of the ship, sealed behind a heavy oak door. Naruto had been there once while checking for safety hazards, and it was filled withrge barrels of fine wine, stacked in the corners.


    "Come on in." Naruto said, stepping aside.

 Chapter 194 Last Meal?

    Chapter 194 Last Meal?


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    After Sakura entered the room, Naruto instinctively squinted his eyes and nced up and down the narrow corridor. After confirming no one was watching, he shut the door.


    With a click, Naruto locked the door.


    When he turned around, he saw Sakura sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at him with her big eyes, making him feel a bit awkward as he exined.


    "The door lock is broken. If I don''t lock it, the door will swing open when the ship tilts."


    "Alright." Sakura smiled.


    ¡®What does ¡®alright¡¯ mean?¡¯ Naruto wondered, feeling a bit uneasy. He walked over to the table and sat down on a chair bolted to the floor.


    The food is rtively simple, consisting of air-dried meat chunks. After a little steaming and adding some seasonings, it can be eaten directly, which is very convenient to stave off hunger at sea.


    But the food from a few days ago wasn''t this tough and dry meat. It was proper meals with both meat and vegetables, which is clearly signaled that they were in trouble at sea.


    Naruto divided some of the meat, then pushed the remaining portion back in front of Sakura.


    "Anko-sensei said there''s something wrong with this ship, and we should be careful." Sakura said after taking the food, "There might be a storm soon."


    "Whatever. It is what it is. Let''s eat first." Naruto said.


    "Aren''t you scared?" Sakura asked.


    "Scared of what?"


    "The storm." Sakura smiled, "If a stormes, everyone on this ship might die. It''s dangerous even for us."


    "I don¡¯t really care about it. The three of us just need to protect Princess Fuun." Naruto said nonchntly, "As for everyone else, their lives aren''t our responsibility."


    "That being said¡­" Sakura said, taking a bite of the meat and swallowed it with difficulty, "Even if we can walk on water, we are in the sea right now, so we would have no idea where to go."


    "Without a ship and food, drifting at sea isn''t a viable n."


    "We''ll see when the timees." Naruto put down the piece of meat, thought carefully and said, "Talking about it now is pointless and just adds unnecessary stress."


    Naruto was not in a hurry at all. After all, there was still arge amount of food and drinks in his seal space. He had stockpiled them when he was free, just in case of missions that might require them.


    He was prepared for the worst, like those harsh missions where he''d have to survive on wild fruits or hunting. So he figured it was better to stockpile food ahead of time.


    As for the ship Sakura mentioned, he didn''t have one, but he did have a small raft. He couldn''t remember when he bought it, but it was probably for rafting in the river downstream of the waterfall.


    Later, he''d forgotten about it, and it had just been collecting dust in the corner of his seal space.


    With such sufficient preparations, Naruto is confident that even if they ended up in the storm and the ship sank or got destroyed, the three of them could still get Koyuki out safely.


    Besides, at this point, worrying wouldn''t help. All they could do was hope the ship avoided the storm or held up through it.


    "Yeah." Sakura nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    A sudden fog nketed the sea, and even worse, the maic fields in the surrounding waters were in chaos.


    Fortunately, the sea surface that could be seen clearly with the naked eye was still calm, the ship was sailing rtively steadily, and the kitchen even prepared a sumptuous lunch at noon.


    On the deck, Naruto carried two meals, scanning around until he spotted Sakura in the mist.


    Anko has been protecting Koyuki closely, while Naruto is responsible for patrolling the perimeter. They usually relied on Sakura formunication between the two, and asionally, Anko would personally check on Naruto during her shifts with Sakura.


    "We suddenly got extra food." Naruto chuckled, raising the two meals in his hands, "The crew thought we''ve almost reached the Land of Snow, so they''re all excited."


    "This seems more like ast meal than a celebration feast."


    Hearing this, Sakura chuckled and said, "We are indeed approaching the waters of the Land of Snow. We should be there in about two days."


    Afternoon.


    The mist cleared, and the originally clear sky suddenly became gloomy.


    A storm was gathering not far away, and the sight of towering waves surging toward the ship left everyone on board staring at the enormous waves and the nearly ck-purple sky.


    Their ship was heading straight for the massive waves. A sense of helplessness and fear washed over them, throwing the ship into chaos.


    Naruto took a sharp breath, thinking to himself that taking this mission was a huge loss.


    The crew on the ship had gone mad. What they initially thought was just a job had turned into a near-death experience, or so they feared, it would be their funeral.


    Naruto kicked open the door with one swift move, drawing his Kusanagi Sword immediately.


    Looking down the corridor at the chaotic mob, everyone seemed like headless chickens, screaming and crashing into each other, swaying wildly. Some couldn''t ept the reality and sat on the ground, muttering to themselves with vacant eyes.


    Angry roars echoed through the corridors as people began to lose their sanity. Screams, shrieks, and roars filled the air. Naruto paid them no mind, giving only a quick nce before quickly averting his gaze.


    He sprinted diagonally along the walls of the cabin, clutching his razor-sharp Kusanagi Sword with a fierce look in his eyes.


    The storm hadn¡¯t hit yet, but massive waves were already battering the ship.


    "Shinobi? You¡¯re a Shinobi, right?! Quick, think of something!" Someone in the corridor spotted Naruto running along the wall and shouted out.


    "Stop that kid! He''s a Shinobi, he must have a n!"


    "Please don''t abandon us!"


    "I can pay, I have money!"


    The people in the corridor, desperate for any hope of survival, reached out frantically towards Naruto. But he ignored thempletely, not even ncing back. He was a Shinobi, yes, but not a savior.


    In the face of those towering waves, who could possibly y the savior?


    Right now, Naruto wasn''t concerned with anyone else''s survival. His priority was finding Anko, Sakura, and getting them all together. If possible, he would also bring along their protection target, Koyuki. In this situation, venturing outside was a death sentence.


    They needed to hide, and as long as they could weather the giant wave without being swept away, they would be fine.

 Chapter 195 Underwater

    Chapter 195 Underwater


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    It didn¡¯t take long for Naruto to find the three women. Anko and Sakura were leading the panicked Koyuki towards the lower decks. But with the crowd ahead and time running out, it was clear they wouldn¡¯t make it.


    Naruto sheathed his sword and dropped down from the wall,nding right beside them. He kicked open a door and shouted to Anko and Sakura.


    "Quick! The giant wave is about to hit, it''s toote to reach the bottom of the ship! Get in here and hide!"


    Anko was stunned for a moment, but before she could react, she had been pulled in by Sakura. Koyuki was also forcibly dragged into the room. With the four of them inside, the room felt cramped, but fortunately, there were straps fixed to the walls for securing their bodies.


    During his two weeks at sea, Naruto had thoroughly explored all the rooms and their functions on the ship.


    This was a... well, a 404 room he had discovered by chance during his patrols.


    But at this moment, those straps nailed to the walls served a vital purpose. As the ship braced for impact, at least there was something they could grab onto to stabilize themselves.


    "Just hold on to it, don''t tie your body up, or you''ll get strangled." Naruto warned, "If the ship gets pulled underwater and you can''t undo the straps, you''ll definitely die!"


    Sakura wasn¡¯t familiar with these unusual straps, but Anko and Koyuki btedly recognized them. Fortunately, now was a matter of life and death, and all conventional concerns were meaningless.


    The most important thing is to survive.


    Naruto pressed his face against the porthole, still muttering about something. Then, he stood beside Sakura and grabbed the straps on the walls. The three of them formed a protective triangle around Koyuki, determined to protect her no matter what.


    Grabbing the straps wasn¡¯t just for themselves, and they also made sure Koyuki did the same.


    Naruto, Sakura, and Anko are all Shinobi, and their Chakra allowed them to adhere firmly to the floor with just their feet. As long as they weren''t directly hit by the massive wave, hiding here would be rtively safe. The main concern was for Koyuki, the only ordinary person among them.


    The deafening sound of the approaching wave shook the air, and the entire ship trembled violently. The atmosphere in the small room was incredibly tense.


    "Here ites!" Anko called in a low voice, "The wave ising! Hold on tight!"


    With a thunderous crash, the ship''s hull was split apart. In that instant, the sound was like lightning striking right next to their ears, like a car traveling at 180 miles per hour crashing into a solid concrete wall, smashing it to pieces like y.


    Against the roaring deep sea, human strength and Ninjutsu were utterly powerless and insignificant, with all hope pinned on the ship.


    The immense impact shattered the small room and the porthole burst out like a cannonball under the tremendous pressure. Naruto tilted his head with difficulty and barely avoided being hit by the flying ss.


    The moment the porthole burst, seawater rushed in crazily. Anko grabbed Koyuki immediately, while Naruto and Sakura also rushed over instantly, protecting their target tightly.


    It wasn''t that they were fearless, it¡¯s just that this is part of the Shinobi¡¯s duty.


    No matter what unexpected events urred, as long as the mission continued and no orders to abort were given by the team leader, the life of the target was the top priority.


    Sakura positioned herself in front of the target and tried to grab onto one of the straps on the wall, but a sudden surge of water mmed into her, like being struck by a hammer. Her arm instantly went numb and wouldn''t respond.


    Then, half her body went limp, and she began to lose consciousness.


    Before she cked outpletely, she felt herself being grabbed. Through her fading vision, she saw a pair of deep blue eyes.


    Things got worse as the entire ship was pulled underwater. The cabin filled with seawater, and the avable air was dwindling.


    At this moment, only Anko and Naruto remained conscious.


    Sakura had been knocked unconscious, and there was no time to check if she had any injuries, so they could only carry her and escape first. There were only a couple of centimeters of air left at the top of the room, so Naruto and Anko floated to the surface to take a quick breath, exchanging a brief but understanding nce.


    Without a word, they each grabbed one person and dove down. Exiting the room through the door, they quickly reached the flooded corridor, where some small spaces still held pockets of air.


    In an upward-sloping triangr space, Anko and Naruto resurfaced, pulling the unconscious Sakura and Koyuki out of the water with them.


    "Is she alive?" Naruto checked Sakura''s breathing and pulse, then asked Anko.


    "She''s alive." Anko answered simply and concisely.


    "Rest for ten seconds, don¡¯t die! Once we''re out, you can do whatever you want!" Anko shouted loudly, "Head for the deck and follow me!"


    These words sounded like thest word of dying person, and Naruto didn''t know what to say. The ten seconds felt incredibly slow, with every heartbeat marked by a deep look exchanged between Naruto and Anko.


    This has nothing to do with deep affection. If they really were going to die, everyone would prefer to see something alive before the end. Ideally, it would be a beautiful member of the opposite sex, as even if they die identally, they can stillfort themselves.


    In thest second before diving, Naruto''s pupils dted slightly.


    Together with Anko, he dove deeply, with Kyubi¡¯s Chakra slowly coursing through his body. A cabin door that wouldn¡¯t open underwater was kicked open by Naruto.


    There were all kinds of bodies and camera equipment lying on the bottom of the water. Almost everyone was dead, smashed to pieces by the huge waves.


    Naruto and Anko struggled in the chaotic underwater currents, each dragging a burden.


    The storm on the surface wreaked havoc below, affecting the waters even ten meters deep. Feeling the pressure in his lungs, Naruto knew they were likely deeper than ten meters.


    After finally escaping from the sunken ship, they found themselves in pitch-ck water again. Seeing how Anko was struggling, Naruto gritted his teeth.


    Diving deeper, he grabbed the unconscious Sakura with one hand and Princess Koyuki with the other. Anko was slightly stunned for a moment but, with her load lightened, easily caught up to Naruto.


    At this point, carrying two was extremely exhausting. Naruto felt his body nearly reach its limit instantly. His chest felt like it was on fire, burning and stinging.


    But carrying two was still better than three. If Anko fainted, things would truly be problematic.


    If it really came to that, he would likely only bring Anko and Sakura to the surface. After all, professionally and personally, saving Anko had a higher priority than saving Koyuki.


    Anko swam rapidly, her agile form moving like a sea serpent as she quickly reached Naruto''s side.


    Just as he was about to copse from exhaustion, Anko grabbed Koyuki''s other wrist, lightening Naruto''s load as if in a ry.

 Chapter 196 Drifting Aimlessly

    Chapter 196 Drifting Aimlessly


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    On the brink of life and death, breathing was impossible.


    Naruto''s head was about to explode as he swam underwater. With reduced resistance on his left arm, his first instinct was to let go. But he couldn''t release his grip, as doing so would put Anko in mortal danger.


    Naruto couldn''t discern which way was up, but Anko could.


    At this moment, he began to feel fortunate that he had made the right decision not to abandon Anko. There was only endless darkness and surging undercurrents at the bottom of the sea.


    Luckily, Anko¡¯s clear and steady movements assured Naruto that they were swimming straight toward the surface.


    Two drenched figures finally broke through the cold ocean surface.


    Anko¡¯s Chakra had been exhausted, yet she still held onto Koyuki¡¯s hand with all her strength. Naruto, wrapped in a red Chakra Cloak, slowly stood up from the sea.


    The seawater on his body evaporated instantly, leaving white salt grains clinging to his skin.


    Naruto dragged the unconscious Sakura out of the water, carrying her on his back, and then walked over to Anko. Anko looked up at him, and her pupils were vertical at this moment, resembling those of a snake.


    Naruto paused, stunned by the sight. Seeing this, Anko''s expression quickly shifted, and when Naruto looked again, her eyes appeared normal again.


    ¡®Did I see it wrong?¡¯


    Naruto furrowed his brows, then pushed the thought aside. He pulled Anko out of the water, but she immediately sank back with an embarrassed smile.


    "I¡¯m out of Chakra."


    Naruto sighed helplessly, realizing that although the storm hadn''tpletely subsided, the giant wave had passed. So, he took out the raft from the seal space and ced Sakura, Anko, and Koyuki on it.


    The four of them floated on the sea, with two unconscious and only Naruto and Anko remaining alert and somber.


    "We survived." Anko remarked, feeling a mix of relief and disbelief.


    The raft bobbed with the waves, but it posed no further threat. As long as they didn''t encounter any terrifying sea monsters, they had essentially been granted a second chance at life.


    "That¡¯s not a given." Naruto said, "We don''t even know where we are right now."


    "Who knows." Anko muttered before falling silent.


    After a few seconds, Anko began silently checking on the unconscious Koyuki. Seeing this, Naruto also pulled Sakura closer and checked her breathing and heartbeat.


    "She''s alive." Anko sighed in relief.


    "Sakura''s alive too," Naruto said.


    Anko didn''t respond immediately and seemed to be preparing to do something else. Naruto looked at her and nned to imitate Anko¡¯s emergency procedures. If they could wake up the two of them, it would ease their situation significantly.


    Naruto observed Anko as she opened Koyuki''s cor, and he followed suit, opening Sakura''s cor.


    Then, he saw a scene that he probably shouldn''t have seen and didn''t dare to imitate it any further.


    The bouncing mountain.


    Anko used a rather unconventional method to wake Koyuki. Naruto realized that this method was probably from Orochimaru, as only he would devise such a purely efficient approach.


    Soon, he saw that Koyuki furrowed her brows, coughed, and slowly opened her eyes.


    A scream followed, but after a sharp look from Naruto and a sudden realization of her situation, she quickly fell silent.


    Anko, noticing Naruto hadn''t done anything further, frowned and gestured for him to bring Sakura over. He obedientlyplied, and Anko used the same method, sessfully waking Sakura as well.


    Sakura felt a chill and, looking down at herself, then up at Naruto. She showed little expression on her face and calmly began putting her clothes back on.


    Naruto watched the entire time, but said nothing.


    "Here¡¯s the situation: aside from us, everyone else is dead." Anko pulled out a few wet Military Ration Pills from her Ninja Pouch and distributed them among the three.


    "All¡­ dead?" Koyuki seemed to have note to her senses yet.


    "Yeah, dead." Naruto said with neutral expression.


    Sakura''s demeanor was simr, but her eyes asionally nced at Naruto with a mix of indifference and something else.


    "How could everyone be dead?" Koyuki muttered, her voice trembling as she clutched her head, while her body still dripping wet. "Not a single one was saved?"


    "Aren''t you still alive?" Naruto replied with a harsh tone, "Princess Fuun, do you have any idea how close we all came to dying at the bottom of the sea to save you?"


    "If you dare say something like a self-righteous remark, I¡¯ll throw you into the sea and rinse you three hundred times."


    Hearing this, Koyuki was stunned. She then saw the serious look on Naruto''s face and when she thought about their current situation, she realized he wasn¡¯t bluffing. He really would do something like that.


    Still, she tried to put up a small protest and spoke in a low voice, ¡°I wasn¡¯t meaning to say anything like that, but¡­¡¯


    Naruto ignored her, and turned to look at Anko and asked, "Where are we?"


    "How should I know?" Anko replied, "We might be near the waters of the Land of Snow, or it could be somewhere else."


    "This isn¡¯t the sea near the Land of Snow." Koyuki interjected, "The color of the sea water is different. This is probably the deep sea."


    Hearing this, both Naruto and Anko turned their heads to look at her.


    Anko: "¡­"


    Naruto: ¡°¡­¡±


    Another day passed as the four of them drifted on the raft. With Naruto''s supplies from his seal space, they managed quite well. They had no idea where they were drifting, but at least they weren''t in immediate danger of dying.


    "Why do you have everything prepared?" Anko asked, somewhat puzzled.


    She wasn¡¯t surprised about Naruto having Space-Time Ninjutsu, after all, Naruto is the disciple of one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, and has close ties with another of the Legendary Sannin, which is also the Godaime Hokage.


    With thiswork of resources, Anko would not be too surprised even if Naruto used some Forbidden Techniques.


    But Naruto¡¯s preparedness, from the raft to fresh water, food, drinks, camping gear, fishing equipment, and clothes for both winter and summer, even down to several sets of nkets, was extraordinary.


    If Naruto were a girl, Anko would half-jokingly suspect he¡¯d have dozens of boxes of sanitary products stashed away too.

 Chapter 197 If I Wake Up, Will You Be Disappointed?

    Chapter 197 If I Wake Up, Will You Be Disappointed?


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    "I¡¯ve got money and nowhere to spend it, so I buy a little of everything." Naruto answered casually, "Who knows when you might need something. It''s better to be prepared."


    Anko suddenly remembered that Naruto lived alone, and she looked briefly awkward, apologizing for her previous remark. Naruto paused, taking a moment to understand, and then said it was okay.


    He was used to solitude and didn¡¯t mind being alone, as it was something he had grown ustomed to.


    After a long time, Koyuki suddenly said something to Anko, then stood up with a calm face and began to lift her skirt at the edge of the raft.


    Naruto turned his head and met Sakura''s gaze directly.


    Sakura was also staring at him. She then lowered her eyes and leaned closer to him, whispering into his ear, ¡°What were you thinking when you saved me?"


    Anko wasn¡¯t paying any attention to them, focusing instead on holding Koyuki¡¯s hand to prevent her from falling into the water. She stared absentmindedly at the vast, endless sea, lost in her thoughts.


    Naruto felt a slight tickle in his ear as Sakura''s warm breath brushed against his earlobe.


    "Nothing." He replied.


    "Then..." Sakura didn''t shy away, ncing at Koyuki, who had already returned to her spot, before continuing softly, "Did you save me because you didn''t want her to die?"


    "No."


    "If it was me who woke up, would you be disappointed?" Sakura asked softly, her whole body leaning against Naruto, her voice calm.


    "Why would you think that?"


    Sakura didn¡¯t respond, and just sit back down in silence. Her eyes were dark as ink, staring off into the distance. This made Naruto feel a bit uneasy, but he didn¡¯t know how to address it.


    During the day, the sun was scorching on the sea, and they all took shelter under umbres. Sakura remained quiet, Naruto wasn¡¯t much of a talker, and Anko asionally chatted with Koyuki.


    The two of them mostly discussed the details from before the incident, suspecting that the captain had a problem, and thought that there might be a Shinobi among the sailors. But after talking about it, they couldn¡¯t figure out the exact cause.


    Surely no one would scheme against others while including their own life in the gamble, right?


    After several discussions, the two could only conclude that the ident was more likely due to natural causes than any human intervention, attributing most of the misfortune to the sea''s storms and the mysterious evil god (Jashin) lurking in the background.


    Listening to all this, Naruto couldn''t hold back anymore and interrupted, "Isn¡¯t the sea supposed to be under the control of the sea god? What does it have to do with Jashin?"


    "How would I know?" Anko turned around with a puzzled expression, responding with a rhetorical question, "Isn''t that what everyone says? Why are you taking it so seriously?"


    Naruto, having been retorted, didn¡¯t take it to heart and simply chuckled awkwardly, retreating back under the umbre.


    He and Sakura shared arge umbre, while Anko and Koyuki shared another. When the wind picked up, they would put the umbres away, and if the wind was steady, they¡¯d even use them as makeshift sails.


    As dusk approached, the light on the sea gradually dimmed.


    Naruto took a small sip of water and looked at Anko, who was sitting opposite him, and asked, "Does Konoha know we¡¯ve gone missing?"


    "It''s hard to say." Anko dispelled Naruto''s expectations with one sentence, "Our mission to the Land of Snow has a one-month deadline. If we don¡¯t return within a month, Konoha will notice."


    "They¡¯ll probably search for us for quite a while, especially since your status is special." Anko added, "But right now, we don¡¯t even know where we are."


    "Well, the chances of being found are pretty much zero unless we seend."


    "With the way we¡¯re drifting, there might be hope." Naruto stroked his chin and reasoned optimistically, "No matter where we end up, as long as we make it to shore, we can find our way back to the Land of Fire."


    "That''s true." Anko agreed.


    "However, if we end up closer to the Land of Snow, we might as well finish the mission there." Naruto added.


    Anko didn¡¯t respond, just stared at the sea with an exasperated look, as if to say, ¡®You¡¯re still thinking aboutpleting the mission at this time?¡¯


    ¡­


    Late at night, gentle wavespped against the raft.


    The three of them took turns keeping watch. Naruto sat with his chin propped on his hand, staring nkly into the darkness of the ocean.


    Suddenly, he heard soft, rustling sounds from behind. A pair of arms wrapped around him gently from behind. Naruto¡¯s brow twitched slightly, but his face remained indifferent.


    ¡®Here we go again.¡¯


    "She didn''t wake up, it¡¯s me." Dark Sakura whispered softly, "Actually, I could pretend to be her. After all, we are the same person, and no one would ever notice."


    "My acting skills are also top-notch, even better than the Princess Fuun''s. Besides, I¡¯m going to disappear eventually. I was never really here¡­ just a temporary existence."


    "Like a product close to its expiration date on a store shelf. Apart from the expiration date, they are actually no different from normal products, right?"


    Naruto brushed her hands away, turned around, and in the faint, dim light, he stared into her eyes.


    Sakura¡¯s eyes were pitch ck, her expression calm as she chuckled and said, "Sorry, I lied to you. How was it? Was my acting good?"


    "I just suddenly wanted to try this out to see if it''s fun. It¡¯s all an act. Sasuke-kun isn¡¯ting back. Naruto, from now on, we can..."


    Naruto didn¡¯t listen to the rest of her words, instead, he reached out and touched her face. In the darkness, his fingers feltrge, hot tears.


    For the first time, Naruto realized that Dark Sakura hadn¡¯t been lying, her acting was indeed excellent. She could cry without the slightest tremble in her voice, making it seem like she was actuallyughing.


    He couldn¡¯t see her face, couldn¡¯t see her expression. His vision was cut off, his hearing deceived, but the sensation of touch was real¡­ those scalding tears etched deeply into his heart.


    Naruto knew that from this moment on, even if he might not always remember Sakura, his hands would never forget Dark Sakura, the one who performed so convincingly in the darkness of the night.


    But now, he didn¡¯t know what to say. The usually chatty Naruto found himself at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to the inevitability of a secondary personality disappearing someday.


    He hated this kind of silence. He didn''t know how to speak up or how to deal with the overwhelming quietness.

 Chapter 198 Landing, The Land of Whirlpools

    Chapter 198 Landing, The Land of Whirlpools


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    The waves crashed rhythmically as the vast darkness enveloped them.


    Most of the time, she was quiet, only asionally doing something slightly out of line. When Naruto fell silent, Dark Sakura stopped speaking as well, turning her gaze toward the quiet sea, lost in her own thoughts.


    After a while, Naruto lightly coughed, breaking the silence. His deliberately lowered voice echoed like a ghost drifting on the night sea.


    "Compared to Sakura," Naruto said, "I prefer you more."


    He had thought about it briefly but spoke truthfully as he always did. He liked this Sakura more than the one from before, and her obedience was part of it.


    But more importantly, Naruto liked Dark Sakura''s personality. Setting aside the fact that they shared the same body, he genuinely preferred this version of Sakura.


    "Really?" Sakura leaned closer.


    "Really."


    Sakura smiled, and in the darkness, she wrapped her arms around Naruto''s neck and hugged him tightly.


    Morning arrived.


    Anko yawned as she finished thest night watch. After a quick wash, she curled up under the umbre to rest while Koyuki kept watch in the morning.


    Thanks to Naruto, they had no major problems with food and clothing. However, their fate was still tied to the raft beneath them, drifting aimlessly.


    Their only hope now was toe acrossnd or a passing ship. Even a deserted ind would be good enough.


    In the first few days of drifting together, Sakura didn¡¯t seem to avoid Naruto at all. Whether changing clothes or doing anything else, even when she met Naruto''s gaze, she remained unusually calm.


    Anko and Koyuki were more reserved in some respects. After all, with a blonde guy hanging around them, it roughly counted as mixedpany.


    But after three days of drifting, the two womenpletely let go. When it rained in the afternoon, they took the chance to bathe. With their survival in question, they found it pointless to be modest.


    Conversation among them grew increasingly sparse, with most of their time spent resting in shifts, with one person watching the sea while the other three rested.


    Usually, people need only about a third of the day for rest, but in this situation, they were resting three-quarters of the time. Although Koyuki didn¡¯t need to keep watch at night, there was still plenty of rest for everyone.


    On the fourth day of drifting at sea, their spirits were rtively good. Another rain shower came in the morning, and they huddled under umbres. When the rain stopped, they passed the time by fishing.


    Naruto didn¡¯t bother fishing because they weren¡¯t short on food. He dozed under the umbre, asionally opening his eyes to scan the vast, endless sea.


    His gaze would also asionally sweep over the three women, each with her own fishing rod, sitting in different spots. It was just a way to kill time, though sometimes their efforts were rewarded, bringing excited shouts.


    "It''s hooked!" Koyuki eximed, fumbling to pull the line in, her light attire revealing much as she jumped up in excitement. Naruto used to this by now, so he just nced at her briefly and then looked away.


    Anko handled the fish, collecting the blood and guts in bags and then tossed them into the distant waters.


    Naruto¡¯s sealed space contained iron pots, seasonings, and even several boxes of fuel. In such a bleak time, this provided the three women with a small sense of lighthearted enjoyment amid the hardship.


    A fire flickered on the raft as fish sizzled and popped in the pan. Fortunately, it was daytime, so there was no real danger of attracting anything unwanted and the water remained calm.


    Naruto clicked his tongue, ncing at the few fish already golden on both sides, and casually remarked, ¡°Are these all you caught?¡±


    Anko frowned, looked at Naruto with dissatisfaction, and said, "If you''re so great, let''s see how many you can catch!"


    "Me?" Naruto squatted nearby, ncing at the three fishing rods resting on the side, "I could probably catch five fish in less than a minute."


    "What?" Anko''s mouth twitched slightly, "Although we are now at sea and the future is worrying, it''s only been a few days. How can you already go crazy?"


    "I''m not joking." Naruto said seriously, "Just ask Sakura, she''ll tell you."


    Anko turned to Sakura, who was just putting the fish away. She didn''t say anything when she heard this, but just nodded perfunctorily.


    "Impossible!" Anko insisted, "If you you can catch five fish in one minute, I''ll eat them raw! Every single one of them!"


    Naruto nced at Anko withplicated gaze, "I didn''t expect you had such a taste."


    After thinking for a moment, Naruto pulled out two new backup fishing rods from his seal space. This was the fourth generation version of his backup''s backup rods.


    Anko watched as Naruto lowered five fishing rods into the water simultaneously without even baiting the hooks. Within three seconds, all five rods had a bite.


    Watching the five fish flop wildly on the raft, Anko''s eyes widened in disbelief, feeling as though her own face had been pped. Fortunately, Naruto didn''t force Anko to eat them raw, and calmly tossed each fish into the bucket instead.


    "You didn''t develop any Ninjutsu specifically for fishing, did you?" Anko couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "No way!" Naruto reeled in each fishing rod, "This is an innate talent that can¡¯t be taught. Ninjutsu is just a hobby, fishing is my main job."


    Night fell, and they finished eating thest fish.


    In the darkness, Anko suddenly spoke.


    "Let¡¯s wait five more days. If nothing changes, then we''ll call it quits."


    "What do you mean, call it quits?" Naruto was shocked and quickly got up. " Think it over! You''re the leader of this team! Damn it! Don''t give up so easily, can''t you hold on a little longer?"


    "I''m not nning to give up." Anko said.


    Hearing this, Naruto let out a sigh of relief. He was almost shocked out of his wits just now. Although they had been drifting at sea for nearly five days, their survival conditions weren''t that dire.


    With food and water, it shouldn¡¯t be enough to break down so quickly.


    "So, what are you talking about then?"


    "If we don''t see any hope in five days, we''ll have to try calling for help." Anko said, "Even if it risks alerting that bastard Orochimaru, using a Summoning Technique might be our only way to send a message."


    "Summoning Technique? I can do that too." Naruto said, btedly realizing.


    "What can you summon?" Anko hesitated for a moment.


    "Slug."


    Anko fell silent. She turned her head and looked at the endless darkness on the sea, then suddenly pounced on Naruto. Grabbing him by the neck, she didn¡¯t squeeze hard but shook him as if to vent her anger, and spoke through gritted teeth, "You''re a real piece of work, Uzumaki Naruto! If you can summon Katsuyu-sama, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?!"


    "Cough! You didn''t even ask!" Naruto coughed and shouted defiantly.


    "How was I supposed to know you could summon Katsuyu-sama?!" Anko released Naruto, taking a deep breath to calm herself, and then said, "Forget it, give it a try now."


    "Okay." Naruto agreed, but there was not much emotion on his face.


    Sakura and Koyuki watched from the side. They didn¡¯t know what the two were talking about, but they could tell that Anko and Naruto seemed to have found a new way to escape their predicament.


    With a bang, Naruto summoned a small portion of Katsuyu using a minimal amount of Chakra. A Katsuyu the size of a ser ball appeared on the raft, initially looking a bit dazed before addressing Naruto.


    "Naruto-sama."


    Naruto and Anko were both stunned when they heard this. Naruto stared at Katsuyu in disbelief, even though he could only see an outline in the darkness, ¡®Since when did I be ¡®sama¡¯? Did this mean I was recognized?¡¯


    ¡®Why is this different from what Tsunade said?¡¯


    Naruto had been ready to address Katsuyu with ¡®sama¡¯, but the reversal took him by surprise.


    However, now is not the time to dwell on these small details. Anko nudged Naruto, and the slightly dazed Naruto suddenly came back to his senses. He coughed and asked.


    "Can we contact Tsunade-sama?"


    It had only been about half a month since the three had left the vige on their mission. At this rate, it would still take some time for Konoha to realize Anko¡¯s team was in trouble.


    However, the sea was unpredictable, and it was a miracle that they hadn¡¯t encountered any extreme weather or idents in the past four to five days. If they dragged this out further, they might end up lost to the sea forever.


    In the boundless sea, even though the three of them are Shinobi and they could support each other to keep going, and even with Naruto''s supplies to sustain them, having no direction was still a major issue.


    Katsuyu heard the sound of the waves and immediately became a little panicked, as she would quickly die if she fell into the seawater.


    "Well¡­ I can''t contact Tsunade-sama on my own, unless she summons my main body herself."


    Upon hearing this, Anko sighed.


    But she still exined their current situation to Katsuyu, hoping it could pass the message to Tsunade. They agreed to summon her once every day for updates.


    Time flew by, and seven days passed. The raft had be worn out, and the group continued drifting on the sea. During this period, they went through several rainstorms and tworge waves.


    Koyuki was nearly washed away once, and Sakura was pulled underwater once as well. It was Naruto and Anko who rescued them, pulling them back from the brink of death.


    Although they escaped danger, the raft had be tattered. There was still no news from Katsuyu, and the group''s spirits were getting low.


    On the sixteenth day of drifting, the night was pitch ck.


    At night, they could barely see anything, so even ifnd appeared in the distance, they wouldn''t be able to notice it. Forced by the situation, they could only muddle through.


    Having endured many storms together, the four had be close, likerades bonded through life and death. Following their usual routine, they sat together and chatted quietly.


    Koyuki told her life story before bing an actress without any reservation, so the three from Konoha started calling her the ¡®runaway princess¡¯. Koyuki had alsoe to terms with her past and just hoped she could someday return to the Land of Snow and take a look.


    Naruto thought of something and suddenly asked, "Could you give me that ne of yours?"


    A gust of wind whistled by, and the nended steadily in Naruto''s hands. Koyuki''s voice came through,zy and nonchnt.


    "There''s nothing I can''t give you. If you want it, you can have me too."


    On the twenty-second day, the raftpletely broke down.


    Naruto carried Koyuki on his back while Sakura and Anko stood with him on the surface of the sea, watching the tattered raft slowly sink into the sea. No one said a word.


    Without the raft, they were not far from death.


    On the twenty-third day, they finally spottednd and eagerly went ashore, only to find it waspletely deserted, with no one living there.


    Naruto climbed to a high vantage point and saw arge symbol of the Uzumaki n.

 Chapter 199 The Land of Ruins

    Chapter 199 The Land of Ruins


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    Standing at the top of the cliff, Naruto looked out over a vast, deste forest. The towering trees and vines that blocked out the sun couldn''tpletely conceal the ruins and remnants of a once-existing vige.


    The shady hillside was covered with exposed rocks, and low bushes spread recklessly. The contrast between the dead trees and the nearby lush vegetation was stark, like thendscape of the Mediterranean.


    The sound of waves filled his ears, and as he looked further ahead, there was a stagnant pool of water. Naruto nodded and turned his head, noticing white smoke rising on the other side of the ind where the three women were staying.


    Retracting his gaze, Naruto moved away. When he rejoined the three women, Anko had already prepared some food. Naruto sat down directly, eating while saying, ¡°There are some ruins here. It doesn''t look like anyone lives here.¡±


    "I really admire you for not showing any excitement when we came ashore." Anko nced at Naruto and sighed, "Sometimes I really doubt whether I''ve reached the end of my career as a Jonin."


    "Tokubetsu Jonin." Naruto cheekily corrected her.


    "What''s so special about going ashore?" Naruto said nonchntly, "We''ve been floating on the sea for almost a month without any problems. It''s impossible not toe across anynd eventually."


    "Fine." Anko conceded. She feltpletely disheartened after drifting for a month, making her doubt her capabilities as a Jonin.


    None of her Ninjutsu had anything to do with water, and facing the endless ocean felt like staring into an enormous, boundless blue coffin.


    This new team of three Shinobi, each having inherited the legacy of the Sannin, still found themselves overwhelmed by the sea. At one point, Naruto even regretted not having signed a contract with the Mount Myoboku¡¯s toads.


    At least the toads in Mount Myoboku could transmit messages in both directions, but Katsuyu couldn''t. When Katsuyu¡¯s clone returns to her main body, Tsunade can only get the message when she summons Katsuyu herself.


    "This ce could be the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools." Naruto suddenly said.


    "The ruins of the Land of Whirlpools?" Anko stared at Naruto for a long time with a perplexed expression, "Isn''t that a country that was destroyed in the war a long time ago?"


    Naruto nodded and said, "That''s what I''ve heard."


    "I heard it was a country famous for its Sealing Techniques. When Konoha was founded, Shodaime Hokage had a good personal rtionship with the leader of the Land of Whirlpools, and the two viges established a cooperative rtionship."


    "But the Sealing Techniques of the Land of Whirlpools was too strong, and the country was destroyed under the joint attack of several sides." Anko exined, "That''s all I know, just things I read in books."


    Naruto shook his head and said, "For now, we still can¡¯t confirm whether it is really the ruins of Land of Whirlpools. Let''s find an opportunity to explore in the next couple of days."


    "Alright, I''ll go with you so we can look out for each other." Anko agreed.


    "Okay." Naruto had been waiting for her to say that.


    Two more days passed, and finally, there was news from Konoha. Tsunade, upon learning the situation of Anko''s team, immediately halted Kakashi''s mission and ordered him to lead a team of Anbu to assist them.


    When it came to experience in overseas missions, no one could surpass Konoha''s most famous person, Kakashi. Tsunade appointed him to lead the rescue team, especially since the mission was in the Land of Whirlpools.


    Kakashi had traveled extensively and, while he hadn''t been to the Land of Whirlpools, he knew how to handle matters between great nations.


    ¡­


    In the Land of Whirlpools.


    It was a clear day.


    Naruto and Anko wandered around the hillside several times and found a circr pit at the site of the Land of Whirlpools ruins. The edge of the pit was inscribed with cryptic text.


    "Can you read it?" Anko asked.


    "I''m not a local, how could I possibly understand it?" Naruto replied, slightly annoyed, "You can''t just assume that just because myst name is Uzumaki, I can read this. I haven''t even left Konoha that many times."


    "Besides, aren''t you a Jonin? Shouldn''t you be well-informed?"


    "That''s just prejudice!" Anko¡¯s face turned red as if she had been stabbed in the sore spot. She then said angrily, "Who said that a Jonin must be well-informed? Do you think everyone is Kakashi?"


    "Can Kakashi-sensei understand this?" Naruto asked curiously.


    "Maybe. He''s been to many ces, so he might know more." Anko replied, ncing at Naruto again and mumbling.


    "Let me say something that might not need saying. Now that Konoha has sent people to rescue us and they might arrive tomorrow, why not wait a little longer? We''ve survived so far, taking risks now could mean losing everything."


    "Yeah, we''ve made it this far." Naruto unsheathed his sword, gave Anko a side nce, and then jumped into the pit, using his sword to slide down slowly along the rocky walls


    He looked up, watching as Anko''s figure at the pit''s edge grew smaller, and said, "I remember there''s a saying: ''since we''re already here¡­¡¯.''"


    Inside the ruins, images of Shinigami were everywhere. The walls were carved with various sacrificial rituals. The vibrant and detailed murals covered nearly every inch of the partially copsed walls.


    Naruto stayed at the bottom of the pit for a while, and suddenly heard a scream behind him. He instinctively turned around, just in time to see Anko fall, crashing heavily on top of him.


    "Sorry." Anko apologized sheepishly, "I lost my grip halfway through my descent, and fell straight down."


    "You are a Jonin now, right?" Naruto''s face turned dark.


    "Tokubetsu Jonin," Anko reiterated.


    "You''re really holding a grudge, huh?" Naruto grumbled, "Damn it, just get off me first! If you don¡¯t, my bones are going to break!"


    "I''m not that heavy!" Anko said annoyedly as she stood up.


    "When we go back upter, you''d better not ask me for anything!" Naruto sneered, "You are a half-baked Jonin, and you still want toe down even though I told you not to."


    "If you die, I, as the leader of the team, will also be responsible." Anko said nonchntly, "If I can''t go up, I will use my beauty to seduce you."


    "You think I''d care? It''s not like I haven''t seen it before. I remember that you have a small mole under your chest." Naruto chuckled.


    "So what if you''ve seen it?" Anko sneered back, "No matter what you say, I have to keep an eye on you. If you die here, Tsunade-sama would tear me apart."


    "Trashy Jonin."


    "Perverted Genin."


    As they continued to mock each other, they ventured deeper into the ruins. Down below was a structure resembling a sacrificial pce, mostly copsed and in ruins.


    "Why would they build a sacrificial ce underground? Is it to save space?" Anko wondered aloud, circling the area with a puzzled expression, "Is it becausend was scarce in the Land of Whirlpools, so they moved the altar underground?"


    "The Land of Whirlpools is small, but most of itsnd shows no signs of being cultivated, which means there weren''t many people." Naruto said, "It can''t be about saving space."


    "These statues are terrifyingly grotesque. They must be the deities worshipped by the Land of Whirlpools. But it''s odd¡­ Why would they move the worship of gods to such a sunless underground?"


    "Who knows." Anko said with her hands folded, " Maybe those gods liked this dungeon-like sacrificial site. After all, who knows what the gods are thinking?"


    Naruto stopped, staring at the statues with ferocious expressions, with Anko''s words echoing in his mind.


    ¡®Dungeon?¡¯

 Chapter 200 Returning

    Chapter 200 Returning


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    ¡®Well,pared to a sacrificial altar, this ce is indeed more like a dungeon.¡¯


    ¡®The Land of Whirlpools was renowned for its Sealing Techniques, often used to suppress various Biju and malicious spiritual creatures.¡¯


    ¡®The remaining Summoned Beasts today are mostly those that have allied with humans. While there are still some wild spiritual beasts, they generally prefer to avoid human contact.¡¯


    ¡®Overall, the people of the Land of Whirlpools would seal anything they encountered. If they didn''t like something, even a stray dog barking on the side of the road, they''d seal it without hesitation.¡¯


    ¡®Logically speaking, if they have such an amazing Sealing Technique, how could they possibly worship hundreds of gods? Shouldn''t it be more like ¡®I am the greatest under heaven¡¯?¡¯


    ¡®Is there a possibility that this is not the altar for gods, but rather a prison for them?¡¯


    Naruto''s mind was a jumble of thoughts as he nced at the bottomless crevice ahead and he gave up the idea of going down to explore immediately.


    "Let''s get out of here first." He suggested.


    After some effort, the two of them climbed out of the pit. Sunlight hit Naruto, but it offered no warmth. He turned to see Anko stretching under the sunlight.


    She had a slender waist, a perfectly round figure, and was in the prime of her youth. Her figure and appearance are at their peak.


    "You should cut back on sweets in the future." Naruto said seriously.


    "Why?" Anko frowned slightly, "Why do you care? If I can''t have sweets, what''s the point of living?"


    "Do as you please. I''m just saying. Take it or leave it. But if you end up turning into a barrel one day, don''t me me."


    "You¡¯re the one turning into a barrel!" Anko retorted, with a hint of insecurity in her voice.


    In the next few days, Naruto had explored half of the ind. Except for some ces that were inessible, he had been to all the ces on the surface, but found almost nothing.


    About eight dayster, the travel-worn Kakashi finally arrived.


    When he saw his two students standing there with their hands and feet intact, Kakashi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he askedzily with one of his eyes drooping and one hand half raised, "Yo, you guys doing alright?"


    "We''re fine." Naruto scratched his face and said, "They''re all good too."


    "Kakashi-sensei." Sakura waved as well.


    "I''m d you''re alright." Kakashi smiled with his eye half-closed, "Still, drifting from the Land of Snow to the western side of the Land of Whirlpools isn''t easy."


    Anko stood there, feeling slightly awkward. As a Tokubetsu Jonin, encountering such an unexpected situation felt like bad luck. Although she managed to keep both the target and her team alive, she still felt somewhat embarrassed.


    Kakashi, however, didn''t focus on Anko. He briefly went over the details with her and then used his authority to change the nature of their mission.


    "After the Godaime Hokage''s consideration, I, Jonin Hatake Kakashi, hereby announce the termination of the Land of Snow¡¯s mission, and the Anko¡¯s team is to escort the protection target back to Konoha."


    "The order is effective immediately."


    Kakashi stamped the new mission document with both the Godaime Hokage''s seal and his own personal seal. Anko confirmed the order''s validity and signed off with her handprint.


    Thus, the Land of Snow mission was temporarily canceled.


    Anko''s team and Koyuki were safely escorted back to Konoha by Kakashi and his group, and all were admitted to the Konoha Hospital for observation.


    All three women were injured to varying degrees and would have to stay in the hospital for a while, but Naruto was fine and got discharged the same day.


    Tsunade didn¡¯t call for him, so he was happy to rx and went straight home.


    After a month away from home, his house was still the same. Kurama was lounging on the sofa, the balcony piled high with empty liquor bottles, the windows wide open, and wind chimes softly tinkling.


    After washing up, Naruto was blow-drying his hair when Kurama suddenly woke up.


    "Oh, you''re back?"


    "Yeah, I¡¯m back." Naruto finished drying his hair and casually put on his clothes. "You¡¯ve been home alone for the whole month?"


    "Pretty much, but I went out for walks sometimes." Kurama sprawled on the sofa, with a mysterious smile on his face, "Humans really are foolish. No one noticed me even when I walked down the street."


    "You¡¯re just a dog, what¡¯s there to notice?" Naruto replied without mercy.


    "Heh, what do you know?" Kurama took out a pair of small sses with his paws and put them on his nose, looking like a wise dog, "Humans let their guard down around me because I disguise myself well."


    "Really? That''s amazing." Naruto said perfunctorily.


    "That''s what the woman said when I paid for the takoyaki." Kurama said, nodding his head.


    "What woman?" Naruto turned his head to ask.


    "That blonde woman." Kurama rolled over and pulled out a bottle of liquor from beneath him, and said, "That woman came over once when you were away."


    "What was she doing here?" Naruto went into the kitchen, poured a ss of water, leaned against the kitchen and asked while drinking.


    "Heh, you¡¯re all my ves." Kurama skillfully bit off the bottle cap and spat it into the trash can. "It''s the same as what you do every day, cleaning up the ce."


    "Uh-huh." He didn''t say anything else, put down the ss of water andzilyy down on the sofa.


    "Why do you seem so listless?" Kurama asked, taking another swig of liquor, " You¡¯ve been quieter since you got back."


    "Adult stuff, fox, it¡¯s none of your business." Naruto nced at Kurama and then took out the key of the geothermal generator he got from Koyuki from his pocket.


    The key was in the shape of a purple crystal, resembling a long ne. Lying on the sofa, he dangled it in the air, staring at it intently.


    The reward for second option is to upgrade his Flying Thunder God Technique, but the mission is now canceled.


    Although the client was lost at sea, the target, Kazahana Koyuki, was still alive. Therefore, as long as she is willing to restart the resume the Land of Snow¡¯s mission, the canceled mission could restart rather than end outright.


    Konoha has already received the remuneration, so both morally and logically, they wouldn¡¯t refuse Koyuki¡¯s request.


    ¡®The question is, how to convince Koyuki, who has survived the disaster, to set out on the journey to the Land of Snow again? Would she be willing?¡¯


    After pondering for a while, Naruto sighed and clenched the key in his hand.


    ¡®Just take one step at a time.¡¯


    Now that something like this has happened, whether it was an ident or some other reason, Koyuki¡¯s mental state was already fragile from her ordeal at the sea, so it was best not to push her too soon.


    Some things can¡¯t be rushed, and there''s still plenty of time.

 Chapter 201 Don’t Go Alone

    Chapter 201 Don¡¯t Go Alone


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    After temporarily setting aside the issue of Koyuki, Naruto started thinking about the mysterious murals and strange statues in the Land of Whirlpools. Suddenly, he remembered that there seemed to be a shrine dedicated to the Uzumaki n outside the vige.


    After recalling carefully, he remembered there were about twenty-seven statues in the ruins.


    "Hey, Kurama."


    Naruto turned on the sofa to look at Kurama, "You¡¯ve seen the Sage of Six Paths, right?"


    "I have." Kurama paused his drinking and looked up at Naruto, "Why?"


    "Was the Sage of Six Paths a god?¡± Naruto suddenly asked.


    "Not sure, probably." Kurama paused for a moment and then changed his words, "¡­ No, he wasn¡¯t."


    "What exactly is a Sage?" Naruto sat up from the sofa and looked at Kurama withplicated eyes. "A Sage who can age, get sick, and die doesn¡¯t seem like a god at all."


    "That question... I¡¯m not entirely sure either." Kurama pondered for a moment before saying, "I haven¡¯t seen the Sage of Six Paths many times, but whenever he appeared, I could feel his presence."


    "And now?"


    "Now?" Kurama''s tone rose, questioning back, "What do you think?"


    "So the Sage of Six Paths has disappeared¡­" Naruto got up and paced in the living room, "But I often hear people talking about Jashin Festival outside?"


    "In the Land of Rivers, some viges also worship the Shinigami, and the Death Demon Consuming Seal and Impure World Reincarnation do exist."


    "I don''t know." Hearing the name of Shinigami being mentioned, Kurama¡¯s head drooped immediately, and he mumbled, "Why are you asking about these things?"


    "Nothing, just asking." Naruto replied casually.


    ¡®If the Sage of Six Paths truly existed, then what about those who came before him? If those gods also existed, could their powers have been siphoned off and turned into Ninjutsu?¡¯


    ¡®In a sense, both Death Demon Consuming Seal and Impure World Reincarnation are Sealing Techniques. But at the end of all these truths lies destruction, the vanished Land of Whirlpools.


    Naruto began to feel excited, ¡®This was much more interesting than Ninjutsu.¡¯


    Since the Cursed Warrior of the Land of Bird, Naruto has developed an interest in the option of seizing power over a country. Simple illusions could even create faith and control the popce of an entire nation.


    But what if it were a real god? If the Uzumaki n could carve out the power of the Shinigami, could he attempt it too?


    He didn¡¯t necessarily want to be Hokage, but the idea of bing a figure of worship¡­ now that was thrilling. After all, he couldn¡¯t stay in Konoha forever, and there would always be a day he would need to leave.


    The missions in the Land of Rivers, the Land of Birds, the Land of Snow¡­ the system kept nudging him toward seizing control of small countries. Naruto wasn¡¯t na?ve, and he knew mundane authority wasn¡¯t all that useful.


    If he truly had to manage and diligently run a small nation, he¡¯d be at a loss. Moreover, he is still a Genin of Konoha, and it would be meaningless to seize power too early.


    Toki from the Land of Birds, Kazahana Koyuki from the Land of Snow, and the untriggered mission involving the Queen of Roran¡­ The bloodline of the royal power is continued through the princess. If this is the case, then the role of a church woulde into y.


    The current issue was understanding the connection between the Uzumaki n and those strange powers. Although the Uzumaki n had declined, the bloodline persisted, and Naruto is sure he could find something special.


    With this in mind, Naruto felt it was necessary to visit the Uzumaki n¡¯s shrine. It was located in the Konoha Forest, quite a distance away from the vige.


    "I''m heading out for a bit." Naruto threw on his clothes, bent down to change his shoes at the entrance, and said, "You stay here and guard the house."


    "Heh." Kurama curled up on the sofa and mumbled, as memories of the fear of being dominated returned.


    It was the same during the Death Demon Consuming Seal, and again when Naruto ordered him to devour the Root¡¯s Shinobi. The towering soul made him shiver uncontrobly.


    Kurama had no doubt that, given a white short de, that guy could be a fanged, blue-faced demon with white hair.


    Naruto left home excitedly and walked in the direction outside the vige. But he hadn¡¯t gone far when he ran into a group approaching, covered in dust, looking like they had traveled overnight.


    "Asuma-sensei, hello." Naruto said, offering an awkward smile as he bumped into Team 10.


    "Oh, it''s Naruto."


    "Naruto!"


    "You''re back?"


    Asuma, who had just returned from a mission, watched as his three students and Naruto greeted each other enthusiastically. He didn¡¯t rush them, but lit a cigarette and watched their interaction with a smile.


    "I heard you had an ident at sea." Shikamaru said, patting Naruto on his arms and legs. "It¡¯s a miracle you¡¯re unscathed."


    "What could possibly happen to me? It''s just a shipwreck." Naruto couldn''t help but boasted upon seeing his friends, "If the ship hadn¡¯t sunk in the deep sea, I would have been back ages ago."


    "You¡¯re something else, huh? And you even brought back the mission¡¯s target." Shikamaru said, giving Naruto a light shove on the shoulder.


    "Of course! Haven¡¯t you heard of my 100% missionpletion rate? I¡¯m practically¡ªah!! Ino! I¡¯m still a patient!"


    Ino had pinched Naruto hard and said angrily, "Don¡¯t get so full of yourself! You almost lost your life, and you¡¯re still showing off! You hardly seem like a patient!"


    "Alright, alright, Ino." Choji interjected, trying to calm things down, "It¡¯s already a miracle that Naruto made it back. He might really be injured, you know."


    "Choji, don''t be fooled by this guy. If he was really hurt, he wouldn¡¯t have been discharged from the hospital." Shikamaru added.


    "Oh, well, that¡¯s good then." Choji took a step back in relieve.


    Ino grabbed Naruto firmly, her brows furrowing as she eyed him closely.


    "Where are you nning to go?"


    "I¡­" Naruto hesitated. He couldn¡¯t exactly say he was going to visit the Uzumaki n¡¯s ancestral shrine.


    That sort of thing was considered unlucky, especially for people who frequently went on missions. Most would avoid it. But Naruto, having no superstitions, didn¡¯t care. He¡¯d even dance on a grave before a mission if it came down to it.


    Even though there was an ident during thest mission at sea, he¡¯d still go next time without hesitation.


    Just as Naruto was drafting a lie in his mind, Asuma suddenly exhaled a puff of smoke and spoke up, "Team 10, dismissed for now. I have some things to take care of. Shikamaru, report to the Hokage¡¯s Officeter with the mission report."


    Ino was stunned, then turned around to look at Asuma, who had a knowing smile in his eyes.


    "Yes." Ino-Shika-Cho responded in unison.


    After Asuma left, Shikamaru¡¯s shoulders immediately slumped as heined tiredly, "Why is it always me doing the mission reports?"


    Choji looked away and said sheepishly, "Shikamaru, I¡¯d help if I could, but you know Tsunade-sama always sends back the reports I write."


    Ino, who was still holding onto Naruto, nced over at Shikamaru. Just as she was about to speak, Shikamaru cut her off.


    "Forget it, I¡¯ll do it. Ino, we¡¯ll go first."


    After saying that, Shikamaru pulled Choji along, leaving the scene.


    Suddenly, Ino and Naruto were the only ones left on the road. Ino released her grip on Naruto and asked again, "Where are you going?"


    "I¡¯m going to check out a shrine."


    "A shrine?" Ino¡¯s brows knitted as she looked around. "Which shrine? What are you doing in a ce like that?"


    "Uh¡­ just to take a look." Naruto replied, "I found something while I was out, so I thought I¡¯d check it out."


    "Wait for me."


    "Huh?" Naruto was taken aback.


    "Huh, what? I said wait for me, I¡¯m going with you." Ino said.


    Naruto¡¯s house was nearby, so Ino decided to freshen up there. After traveling overnight, she looked exhausted but didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    She soaked in the bathtub and almost fell asleep.


    Knock, knock, knock¡­


    Three gentle taps rang on the bathroom door.


    "What is it?" Ino asked unhappily.


    "Nothing, you just seemed really tired. Why don''t you rest here? I..." Naruto suggested as he stood outside the bathroom.


    "No way!" Ino refused. "If you try to sneak off by yourself, I¡¯ll throw away the key and never look after you again."


    "Uh¡­" Naruto was at a loss for words, "I meant, it¡¯s gettingte, so why not go tomorrow?"


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Uzumaki n¡¯s shrine.


    The torii gate, painted in a fading crimson, stood tall, engraved with the Uzumaki n¡¯s symbol.


    Naruto and Ino stood in the courtyard, looking up at the dpidated eaves, then casting their gaze to the half-broken door of the shrine. The ce was even more deste than Naruto had expected.


    In the yard, there was an abandoned well, with a shaft of white sunlight shining directly down, its surface covered with floating green algae. Weeds grew rampant in front of the shrine, and fragments of tiles littered the ground.


    It was early spring, and fresh green nts clung to the crumbling walls, looking almost like they had just been pulled from the water. Perhaps due to the frequent rains in the forest, the ground was covered with moss.

 Chapter 202 The Twenty Seven Masks

    Chapter 202 The Twenty Seven Masks


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    "This ce¡­" Ino, wearing a thin green sweatshirt and a hood, looked back at the dark red torii, "How long has it been since anyone¡¯s been here?"


    Hearing this, Naruto thought for a moment and realized that thest Uzumaki n¡¯s member in Konoha was probably Kushina.


    "About ten years, maybe more."


    "Huh?" Ino shivered a bit. "It''s only been ten years and it¡¯s already this rundown?"


    "Isn¡¯t it possible that it was already abandoned over a decade ago?" Naruto couldn¡¯t help but correct her, "This is the shrine of the Uzumaki n. No one has been here for a long time."


    "Huh? The Uzumaki n?" Ino looked at Naruto.


    "I just found out about this myself." He said with a smile, "Even though I share the same surname, that¡¯s all there is to it. I don¡¯t know anything else about them."


    A broken water tank in the yard caught Ino''s attention. She was about to walk over when Naruto grabbed her.


    "Where are you going?"


    "There''s a water tank over there." She pointed to a corner filled with rubble. "Something seems off about it."


    "Don''t wander around here." Naruto nced at Ino with aplicated look, "That thing is not a water tank. Look again."


    "But that clearly a water tank¡­" Ino was a little confused and turned around to look again.


    In the overgrown corner, there was no water jar, only a pile of white bones that could belong to either a human or an animal. Surrounding the bones were several eerie purple flowers.


    "Ah!" Ino was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat. She didn¡¯t expect that it was actually an illusion.


    "I could¡¯ve sworn I just saw..."


    "It''s fine. Just don¡¯t get close to it." Naruto pulled her back and held her hand. "This ce isn¡¯t particrly dangerous. Just stick with me and you¡¯ll be okay."


    This is a dpidated shrine, and to put it bluntly, it is just an empty grave. Naruto wasn¡¯t too concerned, as the only thing he wanted was the masks hanging in the shrine.


    He lightly kicked the door open. The shrine was empty, with only some fallen debris on the floor. The hollow interior was so quiet that the only sounds were their footsteps.


    A gust of wind blew through, making the broken door creak.


    "Naruto, did you¡­ do you hear that? It sounds like someone¡¯sughing." Ino gulped and kept repeatedly nced behind her as if something was following them.


    "I don¡¯t hear anything." Naruto replied without change of expression.


    "Now it sounds like crying." Ino almost pressed her whole body against him, gripping his hand tightly, "Naruto, should we leave this ce first?"


    Ino¡¯s voice trembled, and Naruto could feel Ino¡¯s grip on his hand growing stronger. She was still quietly trying to back out, and her mumblings echoed faintly in the empty hall.


    She suggested that they should bring Shikamaru and the others next time, thinking it might be safer with more people. Naruto just listened, while his gaze was fixed on the twenty-seven masks on the wall.


    In response to Ino''s mumbling, he asionally nodded or hummed.


    Some things cannot be avoided, and they are already here. Crying,ughing¡­ it didn¡¯t matter.


    Right now, Naruto had set his mind on the Uzumaki n¡¯s legacy, and not even the Sage of Six Paths could stop him.


    Twenty-seven demon masks hung on the wall, each one grimacing fiercely. The Shinigami mask was positioned in the center.


    "Just stand here and don''t move." Naruto suddenly said.


    "Huh? Then what are you going to do?" Ino was a little scared. Thinking of the crying, her face turned pale. "You want me to stay here by myself?"


    "I''m not going anywhere. I¡¯ll just be here." Naruto reassured her, letting go of her hand. He looked around and picked up a long stick from near the base of the wall.


    Ino obediently stood still. Just an hour ago, she thought she was apanying Naruto to a shrine for some simple prayer or offering. But now, she was feeling anxious.


    She didn¡¯t expect things were taking a strange turn. She stood trembling in the center of the shrine¡¯s main hall.


    The door continued to creak, though there wasn¡¯t even a breeze this time. Ino noticed footprints appearing on the ground, and the masks on the wall seemed to stare at her menacingly.


    ¡®There is definitely something wrong with this shrine!¡¯


    The footprints stopped about three meters from Ino, then started moving straight toward Naruto. Ino tried to warn him, but she found herself unable to speak.


    Naruto seemed to bepletely unaware that something was wrong with the surrounding situation. He stood under the wall of masks, holding a long stick he had picked up, poking and prodding at it, trying to poke the masks off.


    Ino clearly saw that the set of footprints had already stopped right behind Naruto. She was frozen in ce, unable to move or speak, only able to watch helplessly.


    Suddenly, with a snap, one of the masks fell from the wall.


    Naruto bent down to pick it up and suddenly heard a gust of wind behind him. He turned abruptly, but by the time he did, Ino saw the demonic mask that had fallen was already on his face.


    Whoosh!


    All sounds vanished, and the shrine¡¯s main hall returned toplete silence.


    Ino suddenly felt that she could move again, and she took a deep breath, as if she had never breathed before.


    "Naruto, behind you!"


    But as she spoke, she froze. Because when Naruto turned around, there were no footprints in front of him. It was as if everything from before had been an illusion.


    "Behind me? What are you talking about?" Naruto took off the mask and asked in confusion.


    "¡­ Nothing." Ino replied uneasily, "Can Ie over to your side now? I''m a little scared."


    "Sure,e on over. It¡¯s fine." Naruto waved her over, indicating she shoulde over.

 Chapter 203 Ino, You’re So Cute!!!

    Chapter 203 Ino, You¡¯re So Cute!!!


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    After walking over and standing beside him, Ino finally let out a deep breath. She then nced at the mask in Naruto''s hand and asked, "What is that?"


    "Just an ordinary mask." Naruto said as he threw it into his seal space.


    Then, he pointed to the remaining twenty-six masks on the wall and said, "Wait for me a bit. Once I take down all these masks, we can leave."


    "Okay."


    As Naruto continued removing the masks, he spoke to Ino, "I told you that you don''t have toe with me. There''s not a single living soul in this ce."


    Ino didn''t say anything, knowing that now was not the time to argue. She waited patiently until Naruto threw all twenty-six masks into his seal space. Only after they slowly exited the Uzumaki n''s barrier did she pinch Naruto''s waist hard.


    "Ouch!!" Naruto yelped, "Ino, are you trying to kill me?!"


    "You deserve it." Ino said unhappily.


    "How did I deserve this?" Naruto winced, rubbing his side and muttering, "Just you wait, someday, you won¡¯t get away with this."


    "What are you mumbling about?"


    "Nothing, it just felt like someone was talking to me. Did you see anyone?"


    "Ah!!" Ino screamed and her face instantly turned pale.


    "Just kidding. Seeing how nervous you are, I just wanted to liven up the atmosphere." Naruto said mischievously.


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡®This guy is really infuriating!¡¯


    "So, you¡¯re actually afraid of that kind of stuff, huh?" Naruto walked alongside Ino, heading slowly back towards the vige.


    "Of course I am! Who wouldn¡¯t be afraid of that?" Ino said with lingering fear, "Next time, I¡¯m definitely noting to this kind of ce with you. It¡¯s too scary."


    "Haha, everything you saw was just an illusion." Naruto exined, "There are not so many strange things in this world just don¡¯t dwell on it."


    "Of course I know that." Ino said stubbornly, trying to sound tough.


    "It''s still early. Do you have any ns?" Naruto asked casually, "If you have nothing to do, you could hang out at my ce."


    "Hmph? Looking for an excuse again, you foot fetishist."


    "You¡¯ve got me all wrong." He said nonchntly, his gaze wandering through the early spring forest, "Is there a possibility that I am more than just a foot fetishist?"


    "Oh, is that so? My apologies then! I misunderstood you, you pervert!" Ino said with her hands behind her back, her lips slightly raised.


    "It¡¯s not like I want to be like this. It''s all because Ino is too cute."


    "Hmph, are youpletely shameless now? Saying such embarrassing things without blushing or flinching." Ino had be immune to Naruto¡¯s asional flirtatious remarks.


    Ino¡¯s expression was somewhat endearing as she spoke, proudly epting thepliment on her cuteness, yet still haughtily calling him a pervert.


    Girls with this kind of personality are definitely rare, possibly because fewer people appreciate this type. But coincidentally, Naruto was one of those who did, thoroughly enjoying the yful banter from a cute girl.


    Ino¡¯s character was pure, the kind that would continually grow and challenge him. Yet she also seemed like the kind of girl who would blush immediately if the teasing became a bit stronger.


    "What I¡¯m saying is true, you know. I¡¯ve missed you a lot, Ino, since we haven¡¯t seen each other in a while." Naruto said.


    "Oh? You¡¯ve gotten quite good at lying so naturally? I won¡¯t believe that, hmph." Ino seemed to be in a good mood and her thoughts became lively.


    Normally, she would first get shy, then question the authenticity of Naruto¡¯s words. But now, she could see right through him.


    ¡®Was it because she had be sharper?¡¯


    Naruto suddenly felt a bit relieved, like he had finally shaped Ino into the person he was familiar with, ¡®It seemed that I would not be able to make her blush by simply saying a few words in the future.¡¯


    ¡®But there was still another way.¡¯


    Taking a deep breath, Naruto ran ahead and then turned to face Ino. They were about thirty meters apart in the quiet, deep woods.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Ino was a little puzzled, not sure what Naruto was up to.


    "Ino, you''re so cute!!!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, startling a flock of birds from half the forest.


    "Eh? Eh!!" Ino¡¯s face turned bright red at an astonishing speed. This time, the embarrassment was too strong. "What the hell are you yelling about?!"


    "You pervert! Don''t run!"


    ¡­


    The next day, the sky outside was clear and blue.


    After washing up, Naruto went out, walked alone on the road of Konoha Street, and slowly merged into the flow of people on the street. The street was crowded, and the air was damp and muggy.


    At times like this, the benefits of having few friends be apparent.


    Even though he had survived a harrowing experience at sea, only a few friends hade to see him. Team 3 and Team 8 were still on missions outside the vige and wouldn¡¯t be back anytime soon.


    When they returned and heard about his unscathed return from the sea, they¡¯d probably be surprised. And Naruto was also curious to see how Kiba would react. He felt that Kiba would be jealous of his genius leadership ability.


    All in all, life had returned to normal.


    Koyuki and Sakura seemed to be having some health issues, probably due to the ordeal of drifting at sea. It could also be that they rxed too much afterward and fell ill, which is something he¡¯d heard of before.


    He walked slowly along the road, nning to visit Sakura and Koyuki at the hospital today. Anko had just been discharged a step ahead of him, with no issues with her health.


    After all, it was a routine visit to check on his teammates and see when the mission target would recover and be released.


    Moreover, as heartless as it might sound, only when the mission resumed would he have the chance to earn theplete Flying Thunder God Technique reward from the system.

 Chapter 204 Sakura’s Little Schemes

    Chapter 204 Sakura¡¯s Little Schemes


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    Naruto climbed up to the third floor of Konoha Hospital''s inpatient area. Probably due to the early spring weather, the doors along the hallway were either slightly ajar orpletely closed.


    He reached out and knocked on the door.


    "Come in."


    Sakura, with her striking pink hair, was dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown, holding a book in her hands, sitting up against the bed. Her demeanor was calm andposed, giving off a serene and tidy vibe.


    In the same room, Koyuki¡¯s slightly wavy ck hair added azy elegance to her appearance, even in a hospital gown.


    Perhaps due to her dual identity as a princess and an actress, Koyuki, in her hospital gown, looked less like a patient and more like someone ying the role of a patient.


    "Oh, it''s you." Koyuki was reading a magazine, and nced up at him briefly upon hearing the sound. From the cover, it didn¡¯t seem like any serious magazine.


    However, when Naruto caught sight of the Icha Icha Paradise book in Sakura¡¯s hands, he found himself at a loss for words, ¡®Well, neither of them were reading anything particrly respectable.¡¯


    "Don''t look so disappointed, jeez." Naruto, unconcerned, grabbed some snacks that were meant for the two women, tore open the packaging, and casually started eating.


    "How are you both feeling?" Naruto asked casually as he sat down.


    "It''s nothing serious, but it will take some time before we can be discharged from the hospital." Sakura put down the book, her eyes calm, "I want some water."


    "Oh, sure." Naruto got up to pour some water. When he turned around, he noticed a slight smile at the corner of Koyuki¡¯s mouth, and a bad feeling shed through his heart.


    Sure enough, as soon as Sakura took the ss, Koyuki''s elongated voice followed, "I want some water too~."


    "Can''t you pour it yourself?" Naruto grumbled a little unhappily, but still poured a ss of water for Koyuki.


    "I don¡¯t feel like moving." Koyuki saidzily.


    "Here! Drink it all."


    "So rough." Koyuki¡¯s voice carried a hint of teasing as she smiled and took the ss.


    "Heh." Naruto didn''t bother responding to her.


    He could handle Koyuki¡¯s clumsy flirting tactics, but now wasn¡¯t the best time, as Naruto didn¡¯t want Sakura to realize how good he was at flirting.


    ¡®In any case, showing off such skills was best reserved for moments alone with Koyuki. Then, I could leave her thoroughly impressed and begging for mercy.¡¯


    "I really want to get out of here. It''s so stuffy here..." Koyuki obviously talked more than Sakura. She kept sipping her water and talking incessantly.


    "Can you slow down a bit? Won¡¯t your mouth break?"


    "You are the one who broke." Koyuki shot him a re, then fell silent, lowering her head to continue reading her magazine.


    The days of drifting at sea in constant fear were over, but they seemed to have left a significant impact on Koyuki. It affected her body, and it seemed her personality had changed quite a bit too.


    "I want to go to the bathroom." Sakura suddenly said.


    "Huh?" Naruto nced around, then pointed to himself, "Do you need me to help you up?"


    "Yes."


    "Uh....."


    Naruto wasn¡¯t sure what that ¡°yes¡± meant, but he went over to help Sakura up from the bed. There was a bathroom inside the room, so it wasn¡¯t as troublesome as having to go outside.


    After opening the door, Sakura let go of him and started undressing. Naruto stepped out, listening to the sound of water sshing. Once it stopped, Sakura¡¯s voice came through again.


    "I¡¯m out of strength."


    Opening the door, Sakura looked at him with a calm expression. Naruto said nothing, just took care of her and helped her out.


    There wasn¡¯t much reason to stay at the hospital, so after chatting with the two women for a bit longer, Naruto left the room before Sakura¡¯s parents arrived.


    It seemed both Sakura and Koyuki would need to stay hospitalized for some time. In that case, Naruto felt there was no need to rush into revealing his true intentions.


    Visiting a few more times and then subtly making his purpose clear would be more tactful, increasing the chances of restarting the mission.


    All he needed to invest was some time, which,pared to the potential rewards, was a very worthwhile trade.


    In essence, it was a win-win situation. Koyuki couldn¡¯t avoid her responsibilities forever, and eventually, she would have to return to thend that birthed and raised her, sooner orter.


    As for Naruto, he simply wanted to upgrade his Flying Thunder God Technique.


    ¡­


    Another week passed.


    Just when Naruto thought Tsunade hadpletely given up on him, she finally sent someone to summon him.


    Yugao''s voice was still cold and businesslike. She was squatting on a branch near the window, with an ANBU mask on her face.


    "Godaime-sama wants to see you."


    "Oh." Naruto calmly put on his pants, got out of bed shirtless, put on slippers and washed up.


    It was infuriating how shinobi nowadays seemed to have no privacy. The only constion was that his body was still developing well, and he was in good shape.


    Though he couldn''tpare to Sasuke, the kind of stoic, ascetic-looking handsome guy, Naruto still had the vibes of a rough-around-the-edges young man.


    Looking at his reflection, Naruto saw his spiky blond hair, fairplexion, and straight nose. His gaze wasid-back, and his smile carried a hint of mischief, yet he still had the youthful aura of someone who seemed to have a bright future.


    That boy doesn''t look like a good person, but in a weird way, he¡¯s somewhat good-looking¡­ That was Anko¡¯s assessment of him.


    In this regard, Naruto¡¯s opinion is that the phrase ¡®doesn¡¯t like a good person¡¯ can be removed.


    Looks were something he couldn¡¯t control, but fortunately, his face wasn¡¯t bad, about a seven or eight out of ten. With a little effort, he could make a striking impression to others.


    For the first time ever, Kurama was not asleep. Seeing that Naruto was about to go out, he peeked his head from behind the couch and asked, "Are you going out?"


    "Yeah." Naruto yawned and bent down to change his shoes at the entrance.


    "I''m going out for a while too, for takoyaki." Kurama said excitedly, as if it was a holiday.


    Naruto didn''t have the habit of rejecting Kurama, so he let him go wherever he wanted. He waved his hand, signaling him to follow. The man and the foxhound then went downstairs and headed straight for the takoyaki stand.

 Chapter 205 You’re Nuts!

    Chapter 205 You¡¯re Nuts!


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    In the Hokage''s Office, Tsunade was flipping through a mission report that Anko had revised five times, and her eyes finally stopped on the words ¡®Land of Whirlpools¡¯.


    Suddenly, the office door was pushed open.


    Tsunade looked up and saw a man and a dog standing at the door, and her eyes narrowed slightly.


    "You¡¯re here?"


    "Ah, didn¡¯t you summon me, Tsunade-sama?" Naruto was a little surprised.


    "Yes, I did." Tsunade nodded, then raised the mission report in her hand and said, "I¡¯m holding back your mission report. Delete the part about the Land of Whirlpools."


    "Why?" Naruto was a little confused.


    He didn¡¯t mind much, as the Land of Whirlpools indeed had its secrets. But no one had uncovered the secrets in the past decades, so he felt that there wouldn¡¯t be any problems even if it wasn¡¯t kept hidden.


    Anyway, he had already secured those twenty-seven masks, and no one else would be able to find any clues. When there were more leads on the masks, it would not be toote for him to go to the Land of Whirlpools again.


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions about this. I¡¯m just helping you remove it." Tsunade sighed, and the deadly weapon shook slightly. "You''ll understand in due time."


    ¡®What was this, some kind of cryptic game?¡¯


    ¡®I know everything about the Land of Whirlpools¡¯ matters, not to mention the bloodline of the Uzumaki n. But whatever, actions speak louder than words. I will show her when the time came to revitalize it.¡¯


    "Tsunade-sama... are you drinking fake sake again?"


    "..." Tsunade¡¯s face twitched slightly, "If you don¡¯t know what to say, then shut up! What fake sake? I¡¯ve long since......"


    Halfway through, she sneakily peered out the window, then checked both sides of the doorway. Once she confirmed that Shizune wasn¡¯t around, she raised her voice, "I¡¯ve long since stopped drinking!"


    "Oh." Naruto¡¯s response was half-hearted, but then he shifted topics abruptly, "By the way, Tsunade-sama, I¡¯d like to restart the mission to the Land of Snow."


    "Isn¡¯t that mission already canceled?" Tsunade leaned back into her office chair and saidzily, " You can¡¯t just restart it on your whim. You need the Princess¡¯s approval."


    "What if she agrees?" He asked.


    "Why are you so insistent on going to the Land of Snow?" Tsunade asked with narrowed eyes. She finally understood that Naruto was determined to go to the Land of Snow.


    "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re..."


    "No." Naruto interrupted directly, "My missionpletion rate is 100%. Tsunade-sama, do you understand the value of a 100% sess rate?"


    Tsunade: "... You¡¯re nuts."


    Naruto felt deeply hurt. For a young man, being called crazy was quite damaging! So he began to pester her, sitting directly on her desk and gazing into the abyss.


    Tsunade sneered and threw both Naruto and Kurama out of her office. With a bang, the door shut.


    "You need to get Princess Fuun¡¯s consent first."


    ¡­


    ¡®What a misstep.¡¯


    The scene of Naruto and Kurama being thrown out was witnessed by Team 8, who hade to report back.


    Hinata, Kiba, and Shino looked at Naruto who had fallen on the ground with a dazed look on their faces. Thetter calmly stood up, dusted himself off, and said, "Cough, cough, the floor¡¯s a bit slippery."


    Kiba frowned and stared at Naruto for a long time, then asked with aplicated look, "You okay? I heard you were drifting at sea for almost a month."


    "It''s nothing." Naruto replied casually, "It''s just a shipwreck at the sea. It''s not a big deal. I just took a little detour and came back."


    After a brief exchange, Kiba and Shino entered the Hokage¡¯s Office. Hinata, blushing, paused beside Naruto and whispered shyly, "Can you wait for me? I have something I want to say to you, Naruto-kun."


    Naruto was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs."


    ¡­


    Naruto stood downstairs, yawning as he sat down on the edge of the railing.


    The Hokage Tower was unusually quiet, with asional birdsong and the sound of construction work echoing from within. It was already March in the blink of an eye, and the tall cherry blossom trees inside thepound were about to bloom.


    ¡®Tsunade had already mentioned that if Koyuki requested the mission to be restarted, she would most likely agree as well.¡¯


    ¡®If that were the case, things would be much easier.¡¯


    Soon, there was a sound of hurried footsteps from upstairs, and Hinata''s petite figure ran down from upstairs. Before she reached the bottom floor, her eyes were already searching around anxiously.


    The ssic scene of a girl stepping on empty air while going down the stairs without looking at the road happened. Naruto was stunned when he saw this, but he still caught her, thinking that Hinata could be a bit clumsy.


    Hinata blushed in Naruto¡¯s arms and then nervously stood up. She walked around him twice, as if she wanted to confirm whether his limbs were intact, but she didn''t have the courage to touch him directly.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto wanted tough but held it in.


    Footsteps echoed again from the inner stairwell, and Hinata, in a panic, blinked rapidly, pulling Naruto towards the other side of the Hokage Tower. They ran through a hallway and eventually stopped at a corner.


    It was a decent spot, with a wide view located in the blind spot of two intersecting hallways. The peopleing wouldn¡¯t see them, but they could easily observe any movement from either direction.


    If someone approached, they could just run up to the abandoned rooftop.


    Naruto didn¡¯t know why they were hiding from people, but since Hinata had dragged him there, he decided to wait and see. Perhaps she had something important to say, though it was probably unlikely.


    Sure enough, Hinata looked up, her cheeks flushed and her eyes moist.


    "Lately, I¡¯ve been busy with missions¡­ I can¡¯t lose focus, but Tsunade-sama said you had an ident at sea."


    "It''s actually nothing serious." Naruto found it more and more strange, and quickly interrupted, "Look, I¡¯m fine now, right? No need to worry about me."


    "To be honest, if I were alone at sea, I¡¯d have been back ashore in ten days."


    "How could I not worry?" Hinata¡¯s teary eyes almost shed a tear but then turned into a smile, "Naruto-kun, you promised to train with me."


    "So, you were worried because of training?" Naruto asked with a mischievous look.


    "N-no, it''s not like that." Hinata looked down and her hands started fidgeting. Then, she hesitatingly said, It¡¯s not just because of training. I¡¯ve already changed my training strategy."


    Thanks to your guidance, Naruto-kun¡­ I just want to keep following you. Maybe someday, I can be like you."


    "Really?" Naruto nced at Hinata, who was just beginning to bloom. He knew that there was more than just a gap in strength between them, as there was also the system separating them.


    "Then, next time, if I have time, I¡¯ll train with you. Do you have any missions soon?" He asked.


    "Yes." Hinata lowered her head and replied softly, "There are a lot of missionstely. I might have time next month, or maybe in two weeks."


    "Next month, huh." Naruto thought about it carefully and estimated that Koyuki would be discharged from the hospital next month, so he simply agreed, "No problem, just let me know when you¡¯re free."


    After saying that, he added, "When I¡¯m not on a mission, I¡¯m usually just lying around at home."


    "Okay." Hinata twirled her fingers in front of her chest and looked away shyly.


    Naruto swore that he was talking seriously without any ulterior motive, but just then, someone approached, and Hinata quickly and nervously said her goodbyes before hurrying off.


    As he stepped out of the Hokage Tower, Naruto suddenly realized he would be idle for the entire month.

 Chapter 206 Tayuya’s Desire for Revenge

    Chapter 206 Tayuya¡¯s Desire for Revenge


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    Spring was serene, the breeze gently stirring.


    In this March, when everything wasing back to life, Naruto could only lie at home, maintaining the tradition of sleeping at sunrise and going out at sunset. asionally, he¡¯d wander around with Kurama.


    He didn¡¯t have many friends, and most of the time, they were all on missions. Since the mission logs for the Land of Snow were sealed, they could only glean bits and pieces about what Naruto had gone through.


    While drifting at sea for a month sounded terrifying enough, Anko and Naruto had been lively and energetic all this time, with both all the team¡¯s memebrs and the target surviving.


    It gave the impression that it wasn¡¯t such a big deal after all.


    In short, the fantastical sea voyage in the Land of Snow quietly became history, and under Tsunade¡¯s deliberate silence, it didn¡¯t stir any waves in Konoha.


    By mid-March, with a click, Naruto changed his shoes and closed the door.


    Today is the day he leaves the vige again.


    After receiving Tsunade¡¯s permission, he traveled for a day and arrived at the Tanzaku Town.


    Using a key, he opened the door, and Tayuya, dressed lightly, happened to be in the living room reading. When she looked up, her face showed a stunned expression.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "What else can I do? As your creditor, naturally I came to check on how you''re doing." Naruto went upstairs calmly. There was a room upstairs that belonged to him.


    Tayuya ignored him and continued to bury herself in her book on the couch.


    She had already figured out the purchasing power of the Land of Fire¡¯s currency. She now knew that a mere two hundred thousand ryo was not arge sum at all.


    Moreover, in the past six months, she had umted quite a bit of money from doing small tasks at the bounty exchange. In total, she had amassed 1.5 million ryo, which is now quietly lying under her bed.


    Listening to the sounds from upstairs, Tayuya¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t as calm as it seemed. In fact, she was slightly nervous and expectant.


    ¡®The opportunity had finallye! A chance for revenge!¡¯


    ¡®I really couldn¡¯t wait to humiliate that blond-haired idiot with money, throwing his nonsensical talk of selling souls right back at him!¡¯


    ¡®Heh, in the end, he was just a scumbag deceiving young girls! Damn it! How infuriating!¡¯


    Tayuya¡¯s book page now bore a clear fingerprint as she pressed on it in anger. She wanted to rush upstairs and tear apart that shameless jerk. But reason told her to stay calm.


    If she really did that, she knew that guy would just shamelessly spread his hands and say, "Well, no choice, you found out. Alright, I''ll leave."


    But that wasn''t the revenge she wanted. Tayuya pulled a candy from the couch and put it in her mouth. The sweetness stimted her taste buds and slowly let her calm down.


    The so-called revenge is to make the scumbag regret everything deeply.


    She had it all nned out: When Naruto came downstairs, she would calmly expose his scam without any care, mocking him fiercely. She wouldn''t repay the 200,000 ryo at all. After all, she borrowed it with her own ability, so how could I possibly return it to that scumbag?


    She would mock him with a light-hearted attitude, whipping him with her words. She wanted to see him shocked, ashamed, regretful.


    ¡®Heh, he wouldn''t see iting.¡¯


    "What are you smirking about?" Naruto asked in doubts.


    Naruto had already freshened up. He was just staying here for the day as he had a mission tomorrow. After a quick clean-up upstairs, he came down and saw Tayuya grinning like an idiot.


    After not seeing her for a long time, Naruto saw that Tayuya''s former edgy style was all gone. she now sported long, dark red hair, wearing a loose T-shirt and hot pants on the couch.


    Her outfit was indistinguishable from any typical girl-next-door.


    She changed from a bad girl to a girl-next-door, and a plump one at that, with the pure buff maxed out.


    Even though Naruto wasn¡¯t particrly interested, after taking a quick nce at her, he had to admit that Tayuya was quite pleasing to the eyes.


    "Nothing." Tayuya frowned, nced at him coldly, and said, "It¡¯s got nothing to do with you anyway."


    Naruto didn¡¯t know what was up with her, nor did he n to ask. The house was a duplex, with the living room and kitchen on the first floor, and four rooms upstairs.


    There were spiral staircases on both sides, which he had thought of when he bought the house.


    Real estate in Konoha was a losing game, as it would get destroyed every other time. So, when living in Konoha, renting was better than buying. But buying in Tanzaku Town? He¡¯s making a profit.


    Tanzaku Town, being andmark town in the Land of Fire, was bound to develop in the future. With his keen sense and omniscient view, Naruto decisively bought this two-story house in the busiest area of Tanzaku Town.


    He didn¡¯t dare buy more, fearing it might catch Konoha¡¯s attention.


    Naruto wandered around the living room but couldn¡¯t find a hair towel, so he decided to let his hair dry naturally upstairs. In therge couch, Tayuya heard Naruto¡¯s footsteps going up and froze.


    ¡®Just like that? He¡¯s not talking to me? How would Ish out at him then? Huh??¡¯


    "Wait!" Tayuya jumped up from the couch and shouted.


    "What?" Naruto was startled, "You¡¯re scaring me. What, are you going to cast a spell? Where¡¯s the hair towel?"


    He had a habit of mixing two unrted topics into one sentence. Tayuya was momentarily stunned and hadn''t prepared the words yet, so she simply answered thetter question first.


    "Go buy one yourself! That¡¯s mine."


    "Oh." Naruto pretended to leave.


    "Wait!"


    "What now?" Naruto looked at her unhappily, "Are you offering to lend me your hair towel?"


    "Absolutely not!" Tayuya rejected it outright.


    Upon hearing this, Naruto pretended to leave again. Tayuya finally gave in and shouted, "Fine! I''ll lend it to you! Just stand there and don''t move!"


    "Alright, go on." As expected, Naruto was standing at the stairs, looking at Tayuya quietly.


    "You¡­" Tayuya kept saying ¡®you¡¯ for a long time, her face flushed red. She was too excited at the prospect of exacting her revenge that she couldn¡¯t form aplete sentence.


    "I know you¡¯re eager, but take it easy." Naruto said.


    "Don''t even think about me returning the two hundred thousand to you!" Tayuya shouted with her hands on her hips.


    "Suit yourself." Naruto stood on the stairs, looking down at Tayuya, who was standing barefoot on therge couch.


    "I already know the purchasing power of 100,000 ryo!" Tayuya shouted angrily, "You tricked me back then, buying my soul for so little money!"


    "Isn''t your soul still with you?" he said.


    "Oh, that''s right." Tayuya calmed down for a moment but soon got angry again, "You only gave me 200,000. I make more than that on a single task at the bounty exchange."


    The atmosphere in the living room suddenly became quiet. Tayuya looked up, only to find that Naruto was staring at her calmly, his expression hadpletely changed.


    "Did you just say bounty exchange?"

 Chapter 207 Five Hundred Thousands!

    Chapter 207 Five Hundred Thousands!


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    "The bounty exchange is¡­" Tayuya stammered, struggling to say anything coherent, then defiantly retorted, "None of your business!"


    "Heh."


    Naruto jumped down the stairs and, using his height advantage, pinned Tayuya down on the sofa, then sneered, "You don''t want your savings to be two hundred thousand less, do you?"


    Tayuya tried to struggle but found herself unable to move. She felt both ashamed and frustrated. Things were taking a strange turn,pletely different from the revenge scenario she had imagined.


    ¡®Wasn''t it supposed to be the story of an underdog rising to wealth and ruthlessly humiliating her former boss with money?¡¯


    ¡®What happened to the promise that heroes should not be judged by their origins?¡¯


    Now, here she was, pinned under her former boss, forced to reveal the source of her side hustle. It was utterly humiliating! It felt just like being caught secretly working a part-time job and having her boss confront her.


    ¡®Wasn''t this also a form of¡­¡¯ (T/N: Domineering CEO.)


    "I''m not paying you back!" Tayuya said with a nonchnt expression, "I don''t have any money, and the money I earned was through my hard work."


    "What good is that? Can''t I just take it myself?" Naruto said jokingly, "I bet the money you earned isn''t hidden too far away¡­ maybe under your pillow or perhaps just under your bed?"


    "How... You¡¯re talking nonsense!"


    "Whether I am talking nonsense or not, we will know if I look for it.¡± Naruto said with a chuckle.


    "Woo woo!!" Tayuya was truly afraid of being broke. Although she wasn''t short on spending money and was willing to spend it, spending her own hard-earned money was a different story.


    If this guy were to take back all the money she owed, then wouldn¡¯t all the money she had spent extravagantly have been her own?


    The thought was painful! It was more painful than death.


    "No! Don''t take my money!" Tayuya was on the verge of tears.


    ¡®My money! It was my money! I had earned every penny of it!¡¯


    Seeing her reaction, Naruto was a bit surprised. After a moment of silence, he said, "I won''t take your money. I''ll give you another 100,000 ryo if you tell me the whole story."


    "Who wants to tell you, you bastard!" Tayuya gritted her teeth, ¡®Damn it, just a mere hundred thousand¡­ Was he trying to insult me?¡¯


    She was no longer that poor girl from the slums. The fortune she had stashed under her bed had already skyrocketed to 1.5 million ryo. A mere 100,000 ryo was beneath her now.


    "Five hundred thousand ryo!" Naruto didn''t even blink as he quintupled the offer.


    "Wuuu!! I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you everything!" Tayuya felt a tear of humiliation roll down her cheek. Five hundred thousand ryo, her bottom line was directly breached.


    ¡®Still, it was this bastard¡¯s money, it would be a waste not to take it.¡¯


    Naruto released Tayuya, who sat on the edge of the sofa, curling up slightly as she timidly confessed how she found the bounty exchange and how she got her first job.


    "They were just small tasks, scattered here and there, and I managed to save a bit of money." Tayuya said softly.


    "I can''t do the bigger tasks by myself. Besides, not everyone can take on those jobs. They require skill."


    "What else? Be honest. If I don''t hear anything interesting today, you won''t get any sleep tonight." Naruto said sternly.


    "I-I''ll tell you everything." Tayuya said, feeling a bit aggrieved.


    And so, Tayuya continued to speak intermittently, while Naruto leaned against the other side of the sofa, asionally responding with a nod. After about an hour, Tayuya''s mouth was dry from talking.


    Naruto nced at her and suddenly asked, "What about that Bounty Shinobi who appeared out of nowhere? What was that all about?"


    "I don''t know!" Tayuya said as she gulped down some water. "They just appeared recently, taking on tasks worth tens of millions."


    "This matter has nothing to do with me. I only heard about it, I don¡¯t know the details."


    Hearing this, Naruto thought to himself, ¡®Has Kakuzu already started making money to support Konan so quickly? If that¡¯s the case, then doesn''t it mean that the Akatsuki has already started to take action?¡¯


    ¡®Crap, like a weed growing.¡¯


    Pain still deserves to die. Naruto is not afraid of the weaker Akatsuki¡¯s members like Kakuzu and Hidan anymore. Moving forward with the Kyubi on his side was enough. After all, he was essentially 73% of the Yin-Yang Kyubi, which roughly equal to one and a half of the Yang Kyubi.


    All things considered,bined, he and Kurama were equivalent to about two and a half Yang Kyubi.


    ¡®I need to find a chance to talk with Tsunade and figure out how to hunt down those lunatics in Akatsuki. Instead of waiting for them toe to me, I might as well have Pervy Sagee back and hunt them down together.¡¯


    "Why are you spacing out?" Tayuya asked.


    "It''s nothing." Naruto got up, then pulled out 500,000 ryo right in front of Tayuya. "I''m leaving tomorrow. Don''t take any dangerous tasks."


    "Why do you care?" Tayuya shot back.


    "Of course I care. I¡¯m your creditor." Naruto said casually, slowly getting up and looking down at Tayuya, "Anyway, I won¡¯t restrict your freedom."


    "Do whatever you want. I won¡¯t interfere. If you run into trouble, you cane to Konoha to find me."


    "Anyway, with how you dress, as long as you tone it down a bit and change your appearance, no one will be able to recognize you."


    "Tsk, like I¡¯d ever look for you Tayuya grumbled in dissatisfaction, "Whatever, I¡¯ll handle it myself. I don¡¯t need you to care."


    Of course Naruto didn''t argue and headed upstairs.


    ¡­


    Midnight.


    Tayuya tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Thinking about her failed revenge filled her heart with bitterness and unwillingness. She had already worked so hard to earn money, but still couldn¡¯t¡­


    ¡®How much money does that guy even have?¡¯ Tayuya was so angry that she rolled over on the bed, from one end to the other. She screamed a few times and grabbed her head in exasperation.


    Her chest rose and fell violently, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. As a result, Tayuya lost all desire to sleep.


    It was a cold and damp spring night. After calming down, she felt a bit itchy all over her body and decided to get up, fumbling in the dark towards the bathroom for a bath.


    With a click, she turned on the light and adjusted the water temperature, habitually tossing her clothes aside with each step she took.


    Realizing that her hair towel wasn¡¯t in the bathroom, she instinctively went to the living room on the first floor to look for it.


    The bathroom door swung open, and Tayuya, yawning, walked barefoot across the floor. As she passed Naruto¡¯s room, the door near the stairs suddenly opened.


    Light spilled out from the room like a thread, directly illuminating half the corridor.


    Tayuya was momentarily dazed by the sudden light. Naruto, who had opened the door, was also stunned. He intended to go to the restroom but instead found Tayuya, entirely bare, standing at the top of the stairs.


    "Ah!!!" Tayuya screamed, and immediately squatted down and hugged herself.


    Naruto instinctively turned his head away, and the atmosphere immediately became awkward. They were too close, and Tayuya reacted too slowly. It felt like watching a 404 VR movie¡­ By the time it gets shut down, it¡¯s already toote.


    "¡­ I didn¡¯t expect you to be into this kind of thing." Naruto chuckled awkwardly.


    "You¡¯re the one who¡¯s into that kind of thing! I just forgot you were still here!"


    Tayuya¡¯s face flushed crimson, she waspletely overwhelmed by shame. She had abandoned her ns for a bath. All she wanted now is to quickly got up, dashed back to her room, and continue to roll around in frustration!


    ¡®Uzumaki Naruto! Damn it!¡¯


    "Where were you nning to go?" Naruto did not leave, but squatted in front of her.


    "Huh? What does it matter to you! Get lost!" Tayuya shouted, trying to back away, her arms iling as she struggled to cover herself and maintain bnce, utterly at a loss for where to ce her hands.


    Then, in the next moment, Tayuya felt herself being lifted.


    "Just now it wasn¡¯t my business, but now it is." Naruto picked Tayuya up from the floor, then nced briefly in the direction of the bathroom.


    "Let me go." Tayuya wriggled around, but it was useless.


    "Stop squirming, I¡¯ll let you go in a moment." Naruto brushed her off verbally while carrying her toward the bathroom, as if holding a kitten in his arms.


    Tayuya felt herself growing hotter and hotter, watching his face partially hidden in the dim light. He would asionally nce down at her, his gaze clear and unflinching.


    ¡®This guy is such a jerk.¡¯


    As she thought about this, her strength waned, and everything began to feel strange. She had never experienced anything like this before, it was as though jolts of electricity were coursing through her back intermittently.


    Tayuya even wondered if this jerk had used some kind of weird Ninjutsu. As in his arms, from her tailbone to her heart, she felt a warm, tingling sensation.


    Held in a princess carry, Tayuya watched as the warm, amber glow of the bathroom grew closer. She suddenly realized that this guy was about to see everything soon.


    Her eyes widened as she used thest of her strength to struggle, trying to break free from Naruto¡¯s hold.


    But it was impossible to do. Naruto held her firmly and walked into the bathroom, setting her down into the bathtub. He then pped his hands, as if he hadpleted his work.


    He didn¡¯t seem guilty at all, treating it as just a random ident and not thinking much of it.


    "What were you nning to find just now?" He asked.


    At this point, Tayuya¡¯s mind was in a mess. She curled up in the bathtub, answering in a muffled voice, "A hair towel."


    "Oh, I took it." Naruto said calmly, then lightly tapped her on the head, "Go ahead and take your bath. I¡¯ll bring it to you in a bit."


    "Okay." Tayuya didn¡¯t know what else to say, and her eyshes fluttered.


    The bathroom door then clicked shut. Tayuya, panicking, sshed the warm water around, taking a long breath in and exhaling deeply.


    She wasn¡¯t sure how to describe what she was feeling just now, she felt powerless. Actually, she was usually quite clever, which was why she never ran, but now, she wasn¡¯t sure if she should run or not.


    She had originally nned to stay here for a while when she had no money. Anyway, that guy was stupid and had a lot of money, so as long as she acted a little submissive, he would give her money.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t earn her own money, she could take some from him and then run far away.


    She never feared that he wanted anything from her. Orochimaru had already abandoned her, and going back would mean certain death. To her, it didn¡¯t matter whether her body was used or she was treated as a tool again.


    In the past, Tayuya always thought that jerk was superficial, only wanting to use his money to get her body. Because of that, she wasn¡¯t scared at all.


    She knew that most men, other than Orochimaru, had issues in their heads¡­ They would try to turn every attractive thing into their possession.


    So, even if he didn¡¯t show up for ten days or half a month, she felt no sense of loss. Essentially, it was a transaction. He desired her body, and she wanted his money.


    It was a clear, straightforward rtionship.


    ¡®But why did my heart beat so fast when he touched me just now?¡¯ Tayuya sank into the bathtub, her knuckles turning white from clenching.


    The light in the bathroom was bright and clear, but it did nothing to clear up the chaos in her mind. Her heart burned, feeling like it would jump into her throat.


    She was a little annoyed, and then she recalled Naruto¡¯s words that he¡¯d be back.


    ¡®A hair towel, huh?¡¯


    Suddenly, Tayuya didn¡¯t want anything anymore. A sense of foreboding crept into her mind. She didn¡¯t want anything. She just wanted to take her two million ryo hidden under the bed and get out of there.

 Chapter 208 You Like Me?

    Chapter 208 You Like Me?


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    Knock, knock, knock.


    The bathroom door echoed with the sound of knocks.


    Hearing this, Tayuya felt a bit exasperated, "Didn''t you juste in without knocking earlier?"


    "Did I? I don''t remember." Naruto''s voice came from the other side of the door, "Anyway, it''s rude not to knock. Can Ie in now?"


    "Whatever." Tayuya replied irritably, burying her head in the bathtub. She really didn''t know what to do, so she decided to just let things go.


    Her life had always been dark and twisted, so it didn''t matter how things turned out.


    Earning money seemed meaningless now. She felt a bit dejected, an emotion she had never experienced before, and had no idea how to handle it. She didn''t particrly dislike it, nor did she like it, but instinctively, she wanted to escape.


    The door was pushed open.


    Naruto took the hair towel, ced it on the shelf, and turned to leave. But noticing Tayuya''s unusual silence, he paused to ask, "What¡¯s wrong with you?"


    "I''ll give you the money back." Tayuya said while curled up in the bathtub.


    "Why are you saying that all of a sudden?" Naruto realized that picking her up earlier might have caused some issues, but he didn''t regret it much. He just wanted to take care of Tayuya.


    She didn''t understand much, and there was something wrong with Orochimaru''s education, leaving her as expendable cannon fodder. This gave Naruto an opportunity to deceive her into staying.


    "I don''t want to stay here anymore. I''ll give back the money I owe you." Tayuya said in a muffled voice.


    "That won''t work."


    "Why?" Tayuya turned her head, not caring about her embarrassment, causing the water to ssh around her. "I''ll pay you back, then I won''t owe you anything. All the debts will be cleared."


    "This isn''t just about money. It''s not that simple."


    "Isn''t it all about money? I was just trying to get some cash from you, maybe scam some food." She said.


    "I know all that, and I don''t mind." Naruto''s eyes were calm, looking unfazed. He had anticipated this day long ago, even considering the possibility of Tayuya disappearing without a trace one day.


    He thought he might have to spend time searching for her, but fortunately, that troublesome situation hadn''t happened, saving him a lot of hassle.


    The reason why Naruto was so determined to keep Tayuya around was simply to have a backup n. He was no longer a Jinchuriki of the Kyubi, but he already possessed the strength equivalent to having one and a half Yang Kyubi on his own. Including the dog he kept around like a pet, who knows how people in the vige would react if all these things came to light someday.


    Moreover, Konoha''s leadership wasn''t solely in Tsunade''s hands. Shikamaru''s personality differed greatly from his father, and he seemed to have no interest in politics.


    Among the Konoha 12, with Naruto''s current connections and power, bing Hokage would be easy. Tsunade had subtly hinted that if Naruto wished, the Hokage¡¯s position would be his eventually.


    He was backed by Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage, and Jiraiya and Kakashi, who are Hokage candidates. Moreover, the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi ns were friendly with him.


    The same is true for the established Hyuga n, Inuzuka n, and Aburame n. As long as Naruto didn''t do anything reckless, he could remain in the pool of Hokage¡¯s candidates and eventually walk the path to bing the strongest Hokage.


    But nothing is certain, and Naruto had never actually desired to be Hokage.


    His presence in Konoha wasn''t driven by any sense of belonging but rather because his strength wasn''t overwhelmingly high, so he didn''t want to stir things up for now.


    However, his refusal to be Hokage meant he couldn''t stay in Konoha indefinitely. If Kakashi seeded Tsunade as the Rokudaime Hokage, that would be fine, but who would take over after Kakashi''s term ended?


    Inevitably, suspicion would arise, so Naruto knew he had to n for his departure early.


    After leaving, he might even consider rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools. The twenty-seven masks had given him new direction.


    But he didn''t want to wander alone, so he would most likely take Tayuya with him. The future was uncertain, but Tayuya was the backup n Naruto had kept in mind. If the worst came to pass, he could always turn to Tayuya.


    That''s why, from the beginning, Naruto had never intended to restrict her freedom. She could go wherever she wanted.


    Whatever she wished to do was fine, and he had no objections to her taking bounty missions. But avoiding him? That wasn''t eptable.


    The so-called soul debt was just a mark, a reminder for Tayuya to always think of him. Repeatedly, over and over, the debt was imaginary, yet it would continue to build as their feelings deepened.


    "What do you mean by ''you don''t care¡¯?" Tayuya felt a bit wronged. If it weren''t for him, she wouldn''t have ended up so obsessed with money.


    Originally, she didn''t care about money and never really spent much. But he had said something about her selling her soul to him, so now she found herself caring about money. But now, this bastard actually said he didn''t care!


    "You don''t need to repay me. I can give you plenty of money, as long as you need it." Naruto said bluntly.


    "Then, what are you after?"


    "What am I after? Do you need a reason to give someone money? Do you? I give it because I want to."


    "You like me?" Tayuya asked.


    Naruto had to admire her line of thinking, but in a certain sense, he was after something. So, she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.


    "Yes." He nodded.


    Tayuya was taken aback for a moment. She curled up in the bathtub, not blushing, nor showing any joy or disgust. She simply stared nkly ahead, lost in thought as her gazed fixated on a in ceramic tile.


    Naruto subconsciously sensed that something was off but kept hisposure. He looked at Tayuya, who was curled up like a kitten who had just left the house for the first time, with a nervous look on her face.


    He wasn''t sure what Tayuya was nervous about, but he knew he needed to say something to soothe her emotions.


    "I am willing to give you money, and it''s not entirely without reason. Do you remember when we were in Konoha? We ate a lot of things together."


    "Back then, I didn¡¯t have many friends, so we should be considered familiar with each other, even though you deceived me back then. Well, I had already guessed your identity back then, and I didn''t care."


    Naruto blinked, struggling to express this part.


    "We have an emotional foundation. Eating and ying together makes it easy to develop good feelings. So I''m willing to give you money, mainly because I don''tck it."


    "You gave me money because you like me?" Tayuya asked in a muffled voice, "So all those times you were kind to me in Konoha, that was because you liked me?"


    "Yeah." Naruto nodded.


    "But there''s nothing about me that''s worth liking. I don''t even know what liking is." Tayuya said, feeling lost, "Is liking someone just about giving them money?"


    "It''s not entirely like that. Giving money is just one way to show affection." Naruto wasn''t sure why the conversation had circled back to money, but at this point, he could only try his best to exin.


    ¡°There are many things about you that are worth liking, like¡­¡±


    "Like?" At this time, Tayuya had lifted her head to look at him.

 Chapter 209 Here, Spend It

    Chapter 209 Here, Spend It


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    Faced with the current situation, Naruto was at a loss for words. It was not easy toe up with a few positive traits about Tayuya on the spot.


    Though she liked bathing, staying clean, and could hang out with him without awkwardness, which were good qualities in his eyes, but these advantages didn¡¯t sound impressive enough when put on the surface. At least, saying them aloud would probably make someone think, ¡®Oh, that¡¯s it?¡¯


    But now, Tayuya was watching him, and disappointing her at this moment could make things more difficult. In his panic, there was no time to overthink.


    ¡°You can install air conditioning!¡±


    "Huh?" Tayuya was momentarily stunned, seemingly not understanding what Naruto meant.


    The water in the bathtub was clear and transparent. Ripples spread out, reflecting Tayuya¡¯s bewildered face.


    "You know how to install air conditioners." Naruto gestured with his hands, feeling somewhat guilty. "Remember? That time in Konoha, you posed as a technicianing to install an air conditioner at my house?"


    "Oh, that wasn''t pretending. We were out of money for food, so we did that temporarily, and also to gather some information." Tayuya exined, "So, that can be considered a good quality, huh?"


    "Isn''t it? A girl who can install air conditioners is pretty amazing, right?" Naruto said with a straight face.


    "Really?"


    "Really." Naruto nodded. He did genuinely think that it was cool for someone to be able to install their own air conditioner.


    "¡­ I can do more than just that." Tayuya said.


    "Huh?" Naruto was also a bit flustered. He wasn''t sure if his random answer had the desired effect.


    Naruto saw the girl lift her head, her damp red hair hanging in strands over her small face. Slowly, a cautious, small smile emerged.


    Seeing this, Naruto quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Are you still living there?" Tayuya asked.


    "No. Something happened, so I moved." Naruto said, "I''m currently staying on the top floor of Building 404 on Konoha Street. I¡¯ll probably be there for a few more years."


    "Will youe here again?" Tayuya had turned her head away, curling up in the bathtub with her legs hugged to her chest, the waterline just touching her chin. There was no emotion in her voice, but her eyes darted quickly to nce at him.


    "Yeah, I''ll probably being more often in the future." Naruto replied, predicting that once he faced Pain, there would be no reason to keep the secret that he was no longer the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    Then, since he was no longer a Jinchuriki, and with Tsunade and Jiraiya around, he wouldn¡¯t have as many restrictions as before.


    "Oh." Tayuya nodded slightly.


    The atmosphere in the bathroom fell silent. But then again, this kind of situation was odd to begin with, after all, who would normally have a serious conversation in front of a bathtub? Under normal circumstances, this would be considered perverted behavior.


    Realizing he should probably leave, Naruto coughed lightly, "Uh... you go ahead and enjoy your bath. I''ll go to the bathroom downstairs."


    Hearing this, Tayuya suddenly stood up from the bathtub with a loud ssh, which startled Naruto.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked.


    Tayuya didn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all. She stared into his eyes for a second or two before stepping out of the bathtub, dripping wet. She walked past him and dashed out of the bathroom.


    Under the warm yellow light, Naruto was left somewhat stunned.


    "Run away?"


    ¡®Is her reaction time for being shy just incredibly dyed? Did she run straight back to her room? But in a way, that¡¯s fine. At least we cleared the air this time.¡¯


    As long as she didn''t want to avoid him, Naruto didn''t mind what Tayuya did, even if it meant going far away. After all, as long as she epted this ce, she would alwayse back.


    She had nowhere else to go, so at least this ce should be her home.


    ¡®As long as she remembered toe back, that was enough. As for the question she was pondering, why was I being kind to her, well, I had a hundred reasons to convince her. Does anyone need a reason to be kind to someone?¡¯


    ¡®Absolutely not. Maybe it was attraction, or simply to pass the time. But those reasons didn''t matter now. Whatever the case, I wanted to be kind to her, without expecting anything in return.¡¯


    Just as this thought crossed his mind, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the wide-open bathroom door. Naruto turned his head towards the noise, thinking to himself, ¡®Why is she back already?¡¯


    Standing outside the bathroom, the girl, her skin glowing like jade, was holding arge bundle of banknotes in her arms, her wet red hair sticking to her face.


    She thrust the scattered bills toward him and said, "Here, spend it."


    Naruto stared at the pile of cash clutched tightly to Tayuya¡¯s chest, stunned for a long moment before he finally snapped out of it.


    A few bills slipped and fell onto the bathroom floor, while two were stuck on either side of her wet face. The stack of money was taller than she was, and with the wet, slippery floor, she looked like she might topple over at any moment.


    The phrase, ¡®Here, spend it¡¯, echoed in his mind. Naruto instinctively wanted to say that he had money, he really did have a lot of money, all of Gato¡¯s fortune.


    But in this moment, money was no longer just money.


    Naruto might be rich, but in reality, the wealth meant very little to him, and it couldn¡¯t carry any true significance. Even possessing so much money didn¡¯t make him feel wealthy.


    Just like Tayuya could bring everything she had to him and share it with him, Naruto could also take out all of Gato¡¯s fortune, which might not even fit in the entire house.


    But it wasn¡¯t the same, because he didn¡¯t care about that money. Compared to Tayuya, Naruto felt impoverished at this moment, realizing that he didn''t seem to have anything he truly cherished.


    He was merely borrowing glimpses of the summers of these girls, glimpsing the things they held dear.


    "Alright." Naruto nodded in response.


    With a loud rustle, he epted the pile of money. Some of it fluttered into the air. Tayuya¡¯s pupils brightened slightly, reflecting the bathroom''s ceiling light and his face.


    "I also have money, I can give it to you to spend." She said.


    "Got it, got it." Naruto chuckled, "Go on, take your bath. I''ll help you put the money away."


    "Okay." Tayuya shuffled back a few steps, then with a ssh, returned to the bathtub.


    Naruto gathered up the money and took it outside, taking the opportunity to head downstairs and use the restroom. On his way back up, he suddenly realized something, which is, Tayuya had nowhere else to go.


    She couldn¡¯t risk running into Orochimaru, and all her teammates were dead.


    She was now a child abandoned by the world, taught by Orochimaru only how to fight using the Cursed Seal. However, excessive use of the Cursed Seal¡¯s power would eventually consume her.


    It was like how monsters would eventually go berserk, only to be left isted and then killed.

 Chapter 210 Minor Villain Always Goes Unnoticed

    Chapter 210 Minor Viin Always Goes Unnoticed


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    The next day.


    Naruto had originally nned to go on a mission, but then he changed his mind and decided that he didn''t need to rush to do that. He just had to deliver a letter to the Fire Temple. Chiriku was still alive and well, so there was no need to hurry.


    "Where are you going?" Tayuya, wearing loose pajamas, looked at him puzzledly.


    ¡°Nowhere.¡±


    In the morning, the two of them went out together, wandering around Tanzaku Town.


    Naruto noticed that Tayuya had very little interest in material things. She lived cleanly every day, like an ordinary person. She learned things quickly after just seeing them once, and she spent money in a normal way.


    But she didn''t seem to be influenced by the world around her. It was as if she lived behind a screen, with her true self curled up deep within her small heart.


    Seeing people on the street crying orughing, her expression remained indifferent. Only when she saw couples holding hands and walking past them did she quickly nce at Naruto.


    She seemed to have difficulty understanding other people''s emotions, so most of the time, she chose to ignore them. If she didn''t see them, there was no problem. By ignoring the problem itself, the problem ceased to exist.


    In the crowd¡¯s center, there was a small outdoor performance.


    "What is that?" Tayuya asked.


    "Hmm, it¡¯s a performance, I think it¡¯s about a love story." Naruto couldn''t be sure and squinted his eyes at the stage.


    The bustling town was filled with the lively atmosphere of the stage performance. Amid the mor of the crowd, the exaggeratedly made-up actors were trying hard to portray their roles with deep conviction.


    But the script was clearly poor. Even though the viin actor was giving it his all, his expression nearly grotesque, the script''s development was always the same: snap, the viin dies, and the hero has a perfect ending.


    "Uh, it¡¯s probably about a princess from a small country being kidnapped by a bad guy, so the heroes to the rescue." Naruto exined, but was afraid that Tayuya would find it boring, so he added another sentence, "Let''s go, it¡¯s not really worth watching."


    "That person seems a bit pitiful." Tayuya suddenly pointed to the minor character quietly exiting the stage, "No one is paying attention to him, and he just dies like that."


    Naruto was taken aback and looked at the minor character who had appeared for just two minutes. He thought to himself, ¡®Did that person had really been there just now?¡¯


    No one would pay attention to a viin''s minion, and they wouldn''t even have lines or background stories. Anyway, if someone is in the viin camp, them they are inherently evil, and no one would be interested in a minor viin¡¯s story.


    If the minor character were part of the protagonist team, there might be some meaning in sacrificing themselves to set the mood. But a minor viin is a lowly existence, something so lowly that they are just there to make up the numbers.


    "Minor character." Naruto said, choosing his words carefully, "He was taken out quickly, so no one noticed and he had to leave in a hurry."


    "Am I also¡­" She said, pointing at the supporting actors who had changed his clothes and was now backstage.


    "No." Naruto said seriously.


    "I don¡¯t know what happened in the past, but Konoha definitely wouldn¡¯t ept you. However, I didn¡¯t n to stay in Konoha forever either. You don¡¯t need to think too much about it; I won¡¯t abandon you."


    His words were direct enough. Tayuya stared at him for a while before nodding and humming.


    Their rtionship would continue, so he held her hand and led her through the bustling streets. They walked through the quiet alleyways until they reached the other end of the town.


    There was no sea here, and as night fell, the open in was covered by darkness.


    "I''m very happy today. This is the first time I''ve been so happy." Tayuya suddenly said, her face showing a cautious smile, "But I''m a little nervous. There are many things I don''t understand."


    "You know more than I do. I know you care for me, and you gave me money to spend." Tayuya looked at him with a sense of deep loneliness in her eyes.


    "But I have nothing but money. I don¡¯t understand the drama or what to do on a date. When I see others having fun, I want to join you. But I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to. I¡¯m actually quite smart and learn quickly, but today I felt so dumb. My mind is nk, and I don¡¯t know what to say."


    "You¡¯re not just humoring me, and patiently exin things to me, but I still find it hard to understand. I¡¯ve never yed or seen these things before, and they seem harder than the tasks I¡¯ve done."


    "I wore the best clothes, but I messed everything up. I feel out of ce with everything, unable to adapt to that kind of life. You¡¯ve spent the whole day with me, so..."


    Tears welled up in Tayuya¡¯s eyes. She wanted to ignore all her problems, but she found she couldn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t avoid Naruto¡¯s opinion of her and found herself growing more anxious by not thinking about it.


    "I¡¯m really happy. I wasn¡¯t that interesting of a person to begin with." Naruto said, gently cing a hand on Tayuya¡¯s face, "You are already very beautiful. Everything I do with you will be interesting."


    Tayuya looked at him, and although she didn¡¯t cry, a faint, uncertain smile appeared on her face as she asked, "Really?"


    "Of course it¡¯s true. As long as I¡¯m with you, even if it¡¯s just walking for the whole day, it won¡¯t be boring.¡± He assured.


    "Actually, it wasn¡¯t that boring, right?" she asked.


    "Hmm."


    ¡­


    Two dayster, Naruto finally prepared to head to the Fire Temple to deliver the letter.


    Tayuya had almost made breakfast early in the morning. Naruto was surprised to see such sumptuous breakfast after he finished washing up.


    ¡°There are ces selling breakfast in town, right?¡±


    "It''s a bit expensive," she replied.


    Naruto blinked, and he seemed to hear Tayuya say, ¡®My money!¡¯ again.


    Over the past two days, they had explored all the nearby ces, driven by Naruto¡¯s statement that even a day with her wouldn¡¯t be boring. So they spent two days walking around.


    Naruto didn''t find it boring, but he was a bit tired.


    This kind of date was pretty intense. If it weren¡¯t for the urgency of the mission, this situation might havested a few more days.


    "I''m leaving." Naruto said, reaching the door. He suddenly noticed that Tayuya was hiding behind the sofa and looking at him, with only her head sticking out, "What''s wrong?"


    Tayuya let out an awkward sound and stood up directly. She took small steps to the door and spoke in a low voice while tilting her head to one side, "Please be careful out there, Master."


    "What?" Naruto was momentarily stunned.


    Before he could savor the thought, Tayuya pushed him out the door, and the door closed with a bang. Naruto was stunned outside the door for a moment, and subconsciously reached for the key in his pocket.


    But after thinking it over, he decided to leave.


    Inside the living room, Tayuya was rolling on the sofa in embarrassment.


    ¡®No! It''s too embarrassing! I won''t give him money! Well, I¡¯ll just give him a little less.¡¯


    ¡­


    Fire Temple.


    Naruto met with Chiriku and sessfully delivered the letter.


    Chiriku had a calm demeanor, handsome features, and radiated an air of a sage. The surrounding monks all addressed him as ¡®Chiriku-sama¡¯, showing great respect.


    "The Fire Temple is indeed vast." Naruto remarked, quickly ncing at the huge Buddha statue in the main hall. It was a fierce-looking Buddha, with dozens of monks sitting cross-legged there, meditating and practicing.


    Chiriku stood there in his simple monk¡¯s robe, with a peaceful smile on his face.


    "After all, it is a Shinobi Temple of the Land of Fire. It has some renown, and the incense offerings are more prosperous."


    "Chiriku-dono is probably famous, right?" Naruto said with a smile, "I think it must be very hard for Chiriku-dono to run this temple like this. After all, fame is a double-edged sword."


    Chiriku¡¯s lips were slightly closed, and he nodded with a smile in his eyes.


    "There is no such thing as hardship when ites to spiritual training. Managing a temple is just one''s duty."


    "Chiriku-dono is indeed insightful." Naruto could feel the fairness, peace and kindness in the other party''s words and couldn''t help but remind him.


    "Chiriku-dono, you should be careful¡­"


    Before Naruto could finish his words, Chiriku suddenly interrupted, "Since Tsunade-sama¡¯s letter has been delivered, why don¡¯t I invite you to the back hall for tea, Naruto-dono? The tea of the Fire Temple is even more renowned than my own reputation."


    Naruto opened his mouth, realizing that Chiriku had something to say.


    "Okay."


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 Chapter 211 Chiriku; I’m Just a Regular Guy From The Fire Temple

    Chapter 211 Chiriku; I¡¯m Just a Regr Guy From The Fire Temple


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    "Please follow me." Chiriku said, stepping aside and gesturing for Naruto to follow.


    The two walked through the front hall, passed through the red-painted corridors, and finally stopped in front of a long row of rooms in the back hall. Chiriku made a weing gesture and turned to open the door of the third room.


    Naruto sat down casually, while Chiriku picked up a kettle of hot water, demonstrating his straightforward and unpretentious tea-making skills.


    "Chiriku-dono, your tea-making technique is truly simple yet profound." Narutoplimented.


    Chirikuughed heartily as he poured the tea and said, "Let¡¯s not be so formal. You can just call me Chiriku, and I¡¯ll call you Naruto."


    "Isn''t that a bit inappropriate?" Naruto replied with an awkward smile.


    Naruto could somewhat guess why Chiriku was being so friendly. The Fire Temple, being a well-known Shinobi Temple in the Land of Fire, had always maintained a close rtionship with Konoha.


    Naruto, being closely associated with Tsunade, often felt a sense of not fully understanding the influence of the legendary Sannin. He never truly realized how significant their impact was.


    Aside from theirbat abilities, their track records and qualifications were the next steps toward bing Kage of their vige. Jiraiya was not only a literary giant in the Shinobi World, but also a master of Senjutsu.


    There are only a few Sage Inheritances, and Konoha had them all.


    And Naruto is a person who has such a huge pile of resources stuffed on him. If he were to be included in the Xianxia World, his identity would be like Uzumaki Naruto, the Holy Son of Konoha Sect, a true second-generation Young Master.


    While Shinobi from other viges were still struggling to learn basic Ninjutsu, Konoha had already prepared various Forbidden Techniques for Naruto to study.


    Tsunade¡¯s letter was not the main focus, and her original intention was just to have Naruto meet Chiriku at the Fire Temple and get acquainted with him. Chiriku is young and promising, so he naturally understood Tsunade''s intention.


    The Godaime Hokage was paving the way for the boy before him, and Chiriku was happy to go along, repaying the favor to the Godaime Hokage and building a good rtionship with Naruto.


    "I''m not that much older than you, so you calling me ¡®Chiriku-dono¡¯ feels rather overwhelming." Chiriku said cheerfully, "Tea is just like people. Regardless of fancy teaware or borate techniques, ultimately, it just needs a bowl and some hot water."


    "There is no difference between me, the other monks of the Fire Temple, and you. We are all just people."


    Hearing this, Naruto was slightly stunned. This perspective sounded somewhat familiar, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    "Chiriku-san, your words seem tock logic, and the analogy of tea to people sounds a bit off. It¡¯s like casually saying something and then adding that love is the same, isn¡¯t it?"


    "What do you mean?" Chiriku asked with a smile.


    "You can¡¯t drink water the moment it¡¯s boiled, and the same goes for love." Naruto said casually, "Anyway, that''s roughly what it means."


    The tea cups steamed gently as time quietly ticked by.


    Naruto was surprised to find that Chiriku, despite his stern appearance, was unexpectedly talkative in private. They chatted about various topics, including Tsunade.


    As they talked, the conversation turned to the Akatsuki.


    Chiriku was quite surprised that Naruto knew about Akatsuki, but then he remembered Naruto¡¯s teacher was Jiraiya, so he didn''t find it strange anymore.


    After thinking for a moment, Chiriku said, "I don¡¯t know much about the Akatsuki organization. I only know that they¡¯re a group of S-Rank Missing-nin who wear ck cloaks with red clouds pattern and usually operate in pairs."


    "Chiriku-san, you also need to be careful. The Fire Temple has too many enemies, and you¡¯re also one of their targets." Naruto reminded.


    Hearing this, Chiriku just smiled.


    He looked at Naruto calmly and said, "I grew up in Buddhism. The Fire Temple is my home. Some troubles are unavoidable. Whether it¡¯s Akatsuki or others, we must face them calmly."


    "Alright." Naruto sighed as well, ¡®Since Chiriku didn''t want to avoid the danger, then it was all up to fate.¡¯ "However, since I''ve already given you a warning, Chiriku-san, you should still make some preparations, shouldn''t you?"


    "Of course, I understand. If there''s any unusual activity, I''ll directly notify Konoha." Chiriku said, his face remaining calm.


    Naruto realized he couldn''t change the monk''s mind, so he decided to switch topics. After all, he wasn''t here just for idle chat.


    "Chiriku-san, do you believe that gods exist in this world?"


    "This¡­" Chiriku frowned and looked at Naruto deeply, "Cough, I''m a monk, is it appropriate for you to ask me this topic?"


    Naruto felt a little embarrassed, it was like asking a temple monk about the Christianity, which could get him thrown out. What''s more, he was inquiring about something even more taboo, which are Jashin and Shinigami.


    "Of course I wouldn''t dare ask others, but since it''s you, the knowledgeable Chiriku-san, I think it''s okay." Naruto said with an embarrassed smile.


    Chiriku remained silent for a while, his expression bing solemn. He then lowered his voice.


    "Such words shouldn¡¯t be spoken lightly, but you''ve indeed asked the right person."


    Hearing this, Naruto raised an eyebrow. He thought to himself, ¡®Of course it¡¯s you, Chiriku. You are indeed the good friend of Asuma, who can''t stay serious for more than three seconds.¡¯


    "You should know that I have a friendship with Asuma, right?" Chiriku asked.


    "No, I didn''t." Naruto shook his head, lying so convincingly that it was seamless.


    "It''s normal that he didn''t tell anyone about it. Asuma wasn¡¯t always like how he is now." Chiriku chuckledand slowly drifted into his memories.


    In general, there are only a few key points that Chiriku wants to express.


    He regretted joining the Twelve Guardian Ninja, which aplished nothing except getting tangled up in the messes of the Daimyo, foolish and troublesome matters that led to a 30-million bounty on his head.


    As the head monk of the Fire Temple, he¡¯s second only to the abbot. Chiriku spent his time training himself and the Shinobi Monks, enjoying afortable life.


    It was sheer bad luck that, in his youth, he got carried away and took on a part-time job that caused trouble to himself.


    Lastly, Daimyo is just an idiot!


    "Those are all things from my youth, so let''s not talk about them anymore." Chiriku sighedand took a sip of the tea that had already gone cold.


    Naruto blinked and thought to himself, ¡®I didn''t even ask about your past. I was asking if gods really exist, and you ended up reminiscing.¡¯


    Listening to Chiriku''s rambling, Naruto''s head began to ache. He wondered where Chiriku''s aloof monk vibe had gone.


    "Chiriku-san, you have a 30-million bounty on your head? I''m kind of curious, how much is Kakashi-sensei''s bounty?" Naruto suddenly asked.


    Chiriku gave Naruto a very odd look before asking, "Do you even hear what you''re saying?"


    "Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto was a little puzzled.


    "Putting a bounty on Kakashi''s head? Does his head even need a bounty?" Chiriku stared at Naruto, "Kakashi has offended so many people that there''s no need for a bounty. If someone could kill him, he would have been killed already."


    "Given Kakashi''s current status, no one would dare to take the reward even if he were to have a bounty. The bounty exchange office is a ce where people hire assassins to settle personal grudges, but making money doesn''t equate to courting death."


    After saying that, Chiriku finally started to talk about the topic of gods.


    "As for the gods you asked about, I did have some knowledge about them when I was younger. For example, there have been cultists of Jashin active in the Land of Rivers, and besides that, there are believers of the Shinigami."


    "So¡­ do they exist?" Naruto asked cautiously.


    "What do you think?" Chiriku countered.


    "Me?" Naruto was a bit bewildered, "I think they probably don''t exist. In this world, there¡¯s only Ninjutsu."


    Chiriku reached out, patting Naruto on the shoulder across the tea table and said, "Then, where do you think Ninjutsues from? A thousand years ago, there was no record of Ninjutsu, but the believers have always been around."


    Naruto felt stirred. He thought of the twenty-seven masks stored in his seal space, his heart suddenly racing, ¡®Dealing with cultists like Hidan was rtively troublesome, but if I could use magic to defeat magic¡­¡¯


    "But haven''t they declined?" He asked.


    "That, I do not know." Chiriku said, taking a sip of tea and speaking casually, "I''m just a monk. I don''t understand those messy pagan things."


    "However, if you truly want to know, why not ask Tsunade-sama?"


    "Ask her?"


    "Don''t underestimate Tsunade-sama. She is an amazing woman in the Shinobi World."

 Chapter 212 Your Lie in April

    Chapter 212 Your Lie in April


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    "Gods?" Tsunade was slightly surprised and stared at Naruto with narrowed eyes, "Why are you asking about that?"


    In the Hokage''s office.


    Inside the Hokage¡¯s Office, Naruto sat on the chair opposite Tsunade, feeling somewhat uneasy. It wasn¡¯t the topic that made him ufortable, but rather Tsunade¡¯s choice of attire¡­ ck stockings.


    ¡®Why did they look so familiar? Wait, weren¡¯t those Shizune¡¯s ck stockings?¡¯


    ¡®She secretly wore the ck stockings of her student?¡¯


    ¡®Was Tsunade really that perverted?¡¯


    "I''m asking you, what are you looking at?" A hint of dissatisfaction shed across Tsunade''s face.


    "N-nothing." Naruto came back to his senses, "I''m just a little curious. During the missions in the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds, I heard bits and pieces about Jashin."


    "But since I didn¡¯t directly encounter any cultists of the Jashin, I just found it odd and didn¡¯t think much of it. However¡­"


    After saying that, Naruto paused, stared at Tsunade seriously for a few seconds, and then continued, "During that mission in the Land of Snow, I don¡¯t think the shipwreck was an ident."


    Tsunade¡¯s casual gaze stopped, her eyes slightly raising as she focused on Naruto¡¯s face. She then asked, "What do you mean?"


    "When the ship docked at the Land of Fire¡¯s port, a strange person appeared. I kicked him into the sea. However, now that I think about it, that man seemed to have attracted everyone''s attention at the time."


    Naruto chose his words carefully and said, "Tsunade-sama, have you ever heard of the Jashin Festival?"


    Tsunade didn¡¯t immediately respond. After a brief silence, she asked, "Are you saying that someone deliberately tampered with the situation and wanted to sink the entire ship? So, you suspect that this incident has something to do with the cultists of Jashin?"


    "The shipwreck is too strange. The ship inexplicably deviated from its course and headed for the deep sea, where it encountered a storm and sank directly." Naruto exined.


    "If you insist on saying it was an ident, I don¡¯t buy it. But this is just a guess. It wasn¡¯t specifically targeting us, so maybe it was just bad luck that we got caught up in it."


    "The ship has already sunk, and the trail has gone cold." Tsunade slowly rubbed her fingertips on the desk, deep in thought, "Let¡¯s put that matter aside for now. We¡¯ll talk about it if we find more clues in the future."


    "As for your question, it¡¯s hard for me to give you a straightforward answer."


    "Why?" Naruto was puzzled, ¡®If something exists, it exists, and if it doesn¡¯t, it doesn¡¯t. What does she mean by it¡¯s hard to say?¡¯


    "Why so many whys?" Tsunade sounded a little annoyed.


    She suddenly recalled what Katsuyu had said that day: It was fear, as if being dominated by something. His soul was exceptionally grand, like a towering mountain.


    The spring sunlight pierced through the windowsill, and the white walls reflected a halo of light, making the atmosphere in the Hokage¡¯s Office suddenly feel heavy.


    "You should go back for now."


    Tsunade''s voice carried a hint of weariness, ¡°I¡¯ll give you an answer to your question. Most of the details are a blur to me. I¡¯ll sort it out and let you know when I have time."


    Naruto sensed something was off, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate to press further, so he simply agreed for the time being.


    "Alright."


    With a click, Naruto closed the door behind him and left.


    Momentster, Tsunade rose from her chair, the crisp sound of high heels echoing in the empty office. She walked to the filing cab and paused, her figure curving as she bent down. Her wide green robe touched the floor as she pulled out an old file from the bottom drawer.


    Judging by the faded cover, it had been stored there for at least ten years.


    After the death of the Sandaime Hokage, most of the things in the office had been cleared out and reced with Tsunade¡¯s preferred furnishings. Only thisrge file cab remained tucked away in the corner, untouched.


    Tsunade had returned to her desk and tore open the top-secret file. The first signature was Jiraiya¡¯s, containing intelligence he sent back about the Land of Hot Water a decade ago.


    "The Jashin¡¯s worshippers in the Land of Hot Water¡­ That small country really has a penchant for creating gods." Tsunade murmured as she sat heavily in her chair, and started flipping through the pages.


    "The gods are always watching, overlooking the world." Sakura set down the book she was reading, her eyes curved into a crescent moon as she smiled, "Why are you buying scripts like these?"


    The rooftop of Konoha Hospital.


    It was noon, with the bright spring sunlight pouring down.


    Surrounded by green wire fences, Sakura wore a thin blue and white hospital gown, clutching a slim script as she smiled at Naruto.


    Behind her, cherry blossoms bloomed in full glory. It was early April, and petals silently fell.


    A gentle breeze outlined Sakura¡¯s slender form, the wind lifting the loose fabric and briefly revealing a sh of pale skin.


    "I just suddenly got curious about these things." Naruto replied, cing the book down. Four or five thin books were casually stacked on the edge of the cement railing of the rooftop.


    "Aren¡¯t guys your age supposed to be more curious about the female anatomy?" Sakura teased.


    "Haha." Naruto gave a perfunctoryugh, "I''m not interested at all. I have more important things to do. If you¡¯re really that bored, you should go back to your room."


    "I don''t want to."


    "Then please keep quiet. After I check on Princess Fuun, I¡¯ll be heading back." Naruto lowered his head and said while flipping through the reading material.


    "I thought you were here to see me. So you¡¯re really just here for Princess Fuun." Sakura''s voice was filled with a hint of resentment.


    "I¡¯m also here to see you, my dearest teammate. Get well soon." Naruto said without even raising his head, his voice devoid of any sincerity.


    "Just a teammate?"


    "Of course, we¡¯ve got missions to do together. Stop saying such weird things." Naruto said absentmindedly, as his attention was still on the book, his eyes scanning the pages quickly.


    ¡°What does it matter? I don¡¯t want to possess you. Isn¡¯t the feeling of secretly holding hands without anyone knowing exciting?" Sakura tilted her head and asked word by word, "Na-ru-to-kun?"


    "Hmm." Naruto¡¯s fingers rubbed against a passage on the page as he answered absentmindedly, not fully processing Sakura¡¯s words.


    Realizing that Naruto wasn¡¯t paying her any mind, Sakura pouted slightly and moved in front of him, leaning in halfway. With a troubled expression on her face, she read aloud the obscure passage that had caught his attention.


    "Human hooks pierced the Jashin;¡¯s body, pulling out strands of flesh, greedily devouring it. They offered their souls, bing immortal monsters, but the god didn¡¯t care."


    "What on earth are you reading?" She asked.


    "Just some folk literature, nothing to make a fuss about." Naruto snapped the book shut, "How is your injury healing?"


    "Me?" Sakura asked.


    "Who else?" Naruto said while staring directly into her eyes.


    "I thought you¡¯d ask about Princess Fuun first?"


    "How is she recovering?"


    "¡­ Naruto-kun, your words don''t make me happy at all." Sakura said, "Even though I won''t get jealous, I still feel a bit sad."


    "Come on, she''s a protection target. Whether the mission to the Land of Snow can resume depends entirely on that shameless princess." Naruto closed the book and prepared to take it with him.


    "Why do you so eager to restart the Land of Snow mission?" Sakura leaned in slightly, the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air.


    "Of course, if it''s put on hold, it means the mission has failed." Naruto looked at her and said, "Get well soon. Next time, Anko and I can handle the Land of Snow mission ourselves."


    "So, you just want to be alone with those two, don''t you?"


    "What nonsense." Naruto scoffed, ¡°The Land of Snow mission involves another organization. Until we figure that out, it won''t restart."


    "Anko doesn''t necessarily need to go, either. We''ll see when the timees. Maybe Princess Fuun won''t need to go, and I can handle it alone."


    The n to hunt down the Akatsuki has been put on the agenda. Sooner orter, the fact that Naruto no longer had the Kyubi would eventually be discovered. Losing the Kyubi was a loss for Konoha, but Naruto didn¡¯t care. And if needed, he''d fight the higher-ups over it.


    There were too many problems to deal with: Gaara''s battle for Kazekage¡¯s position in Sunagakure, the suspended mission to the Land of Snow, the secrets beneath the Land of Whirlpools¡¯ ind, and Hidan and Kakuzu, the Immortal Duo gathering money for the Akatsuki.


    Even within Konoha, things were unstable. After all, as long as Danzo lived, Naruto couldn''t feel at ease.


    "Come on, touch me," Sakura said suddenly.


    "No." Naruto sighed, "I''m busy, and I have zero interest in touching my teammates, so please stop."


    "But you usually just lie around or stay at home. You''re not busy at all."


    "Uh¡­"


    ¡®Damn, I''ve been discovered.¡¯


    Naruto blushed slightly. He was, admittedly, a bitzy.


    Whether it was Gaara''s issues, Hidan and Kakuzu, or the Land of Snow, none of it was urgent for him, since none of it directly concerned him.


    He was just after answers, like when he¡¯s ying a game.


    He didn''t care if Gaara got into trouble, if the Land of Snow would see spring, or even about Kakuzu and Hidan. To Naruto, they were just missions.


    Like levels in a game. He¡¯s driven by a desire to clear them, but losing actually didn''t matter.


    "In any case, Naruto-kun, you will have to do these things with someone else eventually," Sakura said with a hint of excitement in her voice, "Why not use me as your practice partner?"


    "It''s okay, just consider it a practice session. If it''s with Naruto-kun, no matter how I''m treated, I''ll be happy."


    Her expression was deadly serious, as if she''d reached the peak of rationality. Naruto did not doubt the truth of her words at all. It seemed that as long as he agreed, the next unlocked scene would definitely not be as simple as holding hands.


    The pink-haired girl, dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown, spoke with an unsettling allure.


    On the rooftop, a sudden gust of wind swept up the pages of the books in their hands, sending them fluttering high into the sky. The thin booklets rode the wind, gliding past the towering cherry blossom canopy.


    Naruto''s face showed a hint of boredom. He reached out and pinched Sakura''s cheek, saying, "Don''t joke like that in the hospital."


    "I''m serious."


    "Then you should reflect on your unhealthy ethical values, damn it!"


    "Okay." She nodded, showing no sign of guilt on her face.

 Chapter 213 A Story Always Starts With a Half-Bottle of Soda

    Chapter 213 A Story Always Starts With a Half-Bottle of Soda


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    "You¡­" Naruto sighed, feeling helpless around her. "Let''s not talk about this."


    "Don''t want it? Like being someone''s personal belonging or something?" Sakura said, with her hands behind her back, "I don''t mind. It''s not like I have anyone I like."


    "No, I don''t want that." He refused firmly.


    "Is that so? What a shame." She smiled softly. "I just wanted to share my feelings with you. You know, even when you''re sick, medicine can be administered through the mucous membranes, right?"


    "What kind of weird mood is this?"


    "A mood like April, quite humid." Sakura showed a mischievous expression, her pink hair disheveled by the wind. She was already slender, and her hair color made her skin look even more delicate and fair.


    The clouds began to gather densely. Naruto nced at the thin booklets scattered far away by the wind, his voice tired, "That''s enough."


    The atmosphere suddenly became silent. The two stood quietly on the rooftop. Sakura stared at Naruto for a few seconds before suddenly breaking into a smile.


    "Okay." She said, "If you''re ever unhappy, you cane to me. I''llfort you."


    Naruto said nothing and just nodded.


    "Then, I''ll go back first." Sakura waved her hand and left the rooftop first.


    Two months passed in a sh.


    Most of the time, Konoha''s Genin were busy on missions, and the different teams rarely had the chance to meet each other. The reorganization of Team 7 was still a distant prospect.


    After her recovery, Sakura was reassigned to Tsunade''s office.


    Naruto once again took on the role of a temp, freely regrouping, spending most of his time with Team 3. His rtionship with Tenten, Lee, and Neji also grew even stronger.


    Tenten was quite wealthy, Naruto didn''tck money either, and Neji was aloof and didn''t need money.


    As a result, Naruto naturally became the heart and soul of Team 3''s bonding activities. He would often organize get-togethers after missions, sometimes even bringing along Guy.


    Team 3 had graduated early and differed from the other two Genin Teams, as they had a more mature attitude towards their missions. To them, a mission was just that, a mission, and everything was mission-centric.


    Even if unexpected situations arose, they wouldn''t let themselves be swayed by sympathy.


    When it came to being ruthless, Naruto was even more so than Lee and Neji. Not pping the client around was already considered decent behavior on his part.


    His approach to missions was swift and thorough, executing them with a ¡®one-stop shop¡¯ mentality.


    With Naruto''s presence as a mission ace, Team 3''s sess rate inpleting missions independently skyrocketed. Even when the four of them took on higher-difficulty missions, theirpletion rate remained unaffected.


    As a result, Naruto became an unofficial member of Team 3.


    Early Summer.


    "Cheers!"


    "To a sessful mission!"


    "And finally getting a break!" Naruto added.


    Four cups of juice clinked together in the yakiniku restaurant. The windows were wide open, and the warm evening breeze filled the room. The charcoal burned slowly, like breathing, while moths fluttered under themp.


    With a sizzling sound, the meat cooked on the grill, filling the air with the aroma of roasted meat.


    The four sat around the table. Tenten was happily grilling meat, Neji quietly sipping his juice. Lee and Naruto were ying rock-paper-scissors, with the loser eating the grilled meat.


    The sound of insects chirped softly as the juice sses sat on the table.


    "We only get seven days off." Tenten grumbled, her twin buns bouncing slightly, "It would be better if we could have a half-month vacation."


    "Training during vacation isn''t a bad idea either." Lee said, raising a finger, "Train one day, and if I don''t achieve my goal, train another day."


    "How''s that different from doing missions?" Naruto stuffed a piece of grilled meat into his mouth, speaking unclearly with a full mouth, "We finally got a break, let''s not overdo it."


    "Exactly, Lee. Do something fun once in a while." Tenten propped her chin on her hand, smiling helplessly.


    "Guy-sensei said that summer is the season for training!" Lee suddenly stood up and eximed.


    "Alright, alright." Naruto pulled him back into his seat, "Just don''t drag me into your training. I want to go home and sleep. Last month, you sleepwalked to my house and dragged me out to train in the middle of the night."


    "Eh? Is there such a thing?" Tenten asked curiously.


    "I can''t remember clearly." Lee scratched his head, "I just remembered that when I woke up in the training ground, Naruto was there."


    "Lee, doesn''t your conscience hurt?" Naruto said with aplicated expression, "It''s one thing to drag me to the training ground, but using the Eight Gates? That''s a bit too much!"


    "Damn it! If you say there''s no grudge between us, I definitely won''t believe it!"


    "Sorry," Lee said with a guilty look on his face, "Maybe I just wanted to spar with you too badly."


    "Forget it, just don''t disturb my sleep again this time." Naruto tossed another piece of grilled meat onto Lee''s te, "I thought staying home meant I wouldn''t be bothered."


    "Next time, I''ll find a new ce to sleep anywhere I can!"


    Neji put down his chopsticks and said, "The situation in Sunagakure hasn''t been good. I can''t guarantee that we can take a full vacation this time. We could be called for an emergency mission at any time."


    "What a hassle." The moment Naruto raised the cup, Temari''s figure appeared in his mind.


    ¡®She seemed to have returned to normal, but she probably still had some lingering memories. It would be best not to run into her, otherwise, things would be awkward.¡¯


    ¡®No! It would be more than awkward¡­ those unpleasant memories might strain the rtionship between the two viges.¡¯


    "There''s nothing we can do about it. After all, Sunagakure and Konoha are allied now." Tenten said, "And now it''s not just Team 3, even Shikamaru and Shino''s teams have halted their missions. They''re probably on standby too."


    "The Konoha-Sunagakure alliance, huh." Naruto looked down at the grilled meat, the light from the overheadmp casting shadows in his eyes, "Guess there''s no avoiding some interactions."


    "Yeah." Tenten agreed.


    "Gaara is quite strong." Lee frowned and interrupted, "If I could fight him again, maybe..."


    "Lee, Sunagakure is in chaos now, he might not have the time to spar with you." Neji said, gripping his ss tightly.


    "Don''t just rush into a fight. Remember, we''re allies now, so be mindful of the implications."


    "I know." Lee said, looking disappointed.


    Hearing this, Naruto burst intoughter and patted Lee on the shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, Gaara''s a Jinchuriki. He won''t die that easily. As long as you don''t kill him outright, he''ll survive."


    Neji looked exasperated but didn''t say anything.


    At night, under the dappled light of the streemps, Naruto stood at the intersection, bidding farewell to the trio. The early summer breeze tousled his messy blonde hair.


    Holding a half-drunk soda, he lingered at the corner for a moment, sighing about how great it felt to be young. Lazily, he turned and headed back, his sandals scuffing the pavement.


    Konoha Street was still brightly lit, the crooked lights stretching all the way to the horizon.


    He walked slowly, warm air swirling around him. He nned to stay home tomorrow, and the day after that too, ¡®Maybe I''d go out on the third day¡­ Well, this was what vacations were for.¡¯


    "What are you thinking about?" A girl''s voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

 Chapter 214 It’s Going To Rain Tomorrow

    Chapter 214 It¡¯s Going To Rain Tomorrow


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    Naruto turned his head and saw Ino standing on the stone steps that were about one and a half meters above the road.


    Under the dim streetlights, the soft glow outlined the girl''s figurepletely. Her loose blonde hair fell over her forehead, and a casual ponytail was tied at the back of her head.


    She was wearing a form-fitting orange short-sleeved shirt and gray capri pants, revealing a small section of her fair and slender legs. Her entire presence radiated youthful energy.


    "Not thinking about anything." Naruto said, his gaze settling on Ino as he smiled and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "Me?" Ino brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, then looked down at Naruto and said, "Asuma-sensei treated us to dinner, and I was about to head home when I saw you from a distance."


    As she said this, Ino jumped down from the stone steps,nding gracefully in front of him.


    "I''ve noticed something about you~" She said in a drawn-out tone, her voice tinged with a hint of yfulness, "You''ve been doing missions with Tenten, Neji, and Lee a lottely, haven''t you?"


    "Yeah, Tsunade-sama arranged it."


    "Wasn''t it your choice?" Ino''s words didn''t sound resentful at all. Rather, there was a hint of cuteness.


    "You''re obviously closest with our team, yet it seems like you''ve never done missions with us even once."


    "No, that''s not it." Naruto shook his head and added, "It¡¯s because the missions I get paired up for with other Genin Teams tend to have higher danger levels, mostly A-rank missions."


    "So¡­"


    Team 10, Team 8, and Team 7, which Naruto and Sakura are part of, graduatedst year, but Team 3, which includes Tenten and Lee, graduated earlier and had more experience.


    Whether it is Naruto or Tsunade, they naturally prefer to assign missions with higher risk factors to Team 3.


    "Alright then." Ino said, pursing her lips.


    "Are you going home?" Naruto changed the topic appropriately. The possibility of him partnering with Team 10 seemed far off, and he couldn''t make any promises at the moment.


    Besides, carrying out a mission is a serious business, not a game. During a missionst month, Team 3 was in danger and Naruto almost used the Impure World Reincarnation on an ungrateful Shinobi Vige.


    If he had resurrected all their ancestors, it would''ve been a bloodbath.


    "Well, it''s gettingte. I was just thinking of heading home when I spotted you." Ino''s voice pulled him back from his thoughts.


    "Let me walk you home."


    "My house is really far from here, and your ce ispletely in the opposite direction, right?" Ino seemed a little hesitant. "Wouldn''t that be too much trouble?"


    ¡°It is indeed quite a hassle.¡±


    "Although it''s the truth, hearing someone hesitate just because they want to go home and sleep¡­ It feels a bit disappointing to be prioritized after sleep."


    "Because after that, I''d have to walk home alone. It would be lonely."


    "Who cares about you!" Ino huffed, "Don''t even think that such a clumsy and dirty trick will work on me."


    "Eh? You noticed?"


    "How slow do you think I am?" Ino red at him.


    "Ino-sama is truly impressive."


    "Hehe, of course." Ino said, clearly pleased with his words, her eyebrows arching in satisfaction, "It''s rare to hear something sensible from you. If you could keep that attitude all the time, that''d be great."


    "Sure, just keep mepany during the vacation." Naruto suddenly suggested.


    "Company!! Company? Why would I want to keep youpany?" Ino stammered in response.


    "Then I''ll keep youpany."


    "No way!" She refused without hesitation. "Besides, I''ll probably have to help out at the shop. If you show up, my parents will definitely get suspicious."


    Naruto rubbed his chin, taking a deep breath, and said, "But¡­ Auntie seems to like me more."


    Ino: ¡°¡­¡±


    He seemed to be telling the truth. Ino felt like she''d been hit right in the knees, her whole mood plummeting.


    ¡®Forget it, I should just go home quickly and cry secretly for a few minutes while hugging the quilt.¡¯


    "Anyway, you¡¯re not allowed toe!"


    "But I''m so bored at home. I¡¯m basically half a customer, right?" Naruto asked, sounding a bit cheeky.


    "Why only half?" Ino had already turned and started walking toward the Yamanaka Flower Shop. The two walked shoulder to shoulder, slowly making their way down Konoha Street.


    "Because I didn''t go there to buy flowers." He turned and stared at Ino.


    Feeling his gaze, Ino shrunk her shoulders slightly, but she couldn''t help but nce at him quickly, her eyes sparkling. Her cheeks reddened, and she muttered softly, "Don''t say such weird things."


    "Well, it''s summer now, so it''s normal to say things like that, right?" Naruto saidzily as he walked beside Ino. The streets of Konoha were still brightly lit, stretching endlessly into the distance.


    "It has nothing to do with summer. Stop making weird excuses."


    "I¡¯m just exining. You only have one true summer in your life, and all the others are just memories of it. It¡¯s like saying it''s the best summer, or something like that."


    As he spoke, he quietly took Ino''s hand. She struggled briefly, but when she couldn''t pull free, she simply averted her gaze.


    "You¡­"


    "What''s wrong with me?" Someone asked shamelessly.


    Ino said nothing more. She looked away, and spoke in a muffled voice, "Don''t squeeze randomly."


    Naruto was holding a half-empty soda in one hand and Ino''s hand in the other, and he wasn¡¯t exactly being honest. Ino''s face turned bright red, and she finally couldn''t stand it anymore, yanking her hand away from his.


    Perhaps feeling that the atmosphere was getting a bit dull, Ino began to try to find topics to talk about while walking.


    "What are you holding in your hand?"


    "Half a bottle of soda. I saved it for you."


    "¡­ Drink it yourself." Ino sighed, feeling exasperated, ¡®I knew I shouldn''t have had any expectations from someone like him. The long seven-day holiday was bound to be spent dealing with him.¡¯


    She thought begrudgingly to herself, already feeling tired just from minding the shop.


    Under the big green tree in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    The two of them stopped in tacit understanding. Although this ce was still a street away from the Yamanaka Flower Shop, they always considered the job done once they reached this point.


    "I''lle to the shop to see you tomorrow," he said.


    "Oh." Ino lowered her gaze, staring at the tips of her shoes, and said nervously, "It¡¯s going to rain tomorrow."


    Right now, she hoped Naruto would say, ¡®Then let''s pick another day¡¯, or Naruto would even decide not toe at all. But her heart betrayed her, and started racing faster and faster. She was anxious.


    She had said simr things in the past, like when her parents asked if she wanted to celebrate her birthday separately. Her birthday often coincided with the Fireworks Festival, and they always had to rush through the celebration.


    She had shaken her head, saying it was too much trouble, and back then, her heart had raced just as quickly.


    Even though she genuinely found it troublesome, she still hoped her parents would respond differently.


    Naruto nced at her and frowned slightly, "Is that so?"


    Ino''s heart suddenly sank, but she still managed a smile.


    "Yes, after all, it''s summer, and the rainy season willst for a while. It''s very troublesome when it rains, and it¡¯s also far¡­"


    "I''lle early."


    "Huh?" Ino looked up at him, confused for a moment.


    "How about before dawn?"


    "There''s no need to go that far! Just...e a little early, not that early."


    "But I¡¯m treating this as a date."


    "A date? No! It¡¯s not like that! Don¡¯t say such things!" Ino seemed a little flustered, "Do you really need to be so excited?"


    "Of course."


    "Since you''re so eager of it, I''ll agree to it with reluctance. But this isn¡¯t a date!" Ino emphasized, "You''re just apanying me to look after the store."


    "It¡¯s really boring, you know. Usually, there aren¡¯t many customers, so all you can do is nap."


    "I see¡­" Naruto nodded, "It doesn''t matter. I¡¯ll find my own fun."


    "Hey! What you said sounds so sleazy!" Ino hugged herself tightly and nced at him with contempt, "You''d better keep your damn fetishes in check tomorrow and not scare the customers."

 Chapter 215 The Purple Bunny On The Towel

    Chapter 215 The Purple Bunny On The Towel


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    The next morning, the sky had indeed turned gloomy.


    Naruto struggled to keep his eyes open as he forced himself out of bed to wash up. Kurama was still sprawled out on the couch, thankfully he didn¡¯t sweat, so at least the sofa remained clean.


    After hearing the noise, Kurama opened one eye and instinctively reached for a nearby sake bottle.


    "Where are you going?"


    "Yamananaka Flower Shop." Naruto''s voice came from the bathroom.


    "Boring." Kurama found nothing of interest in Naruto''s response and promptly closed his eyes again.


    The sky was overcast, thick ck clouds rumbling with asional thunder. The scent of damp earth mixed with the coolness of rain, and the instant Naruto opened the door, the breeze blew it all into his face.


    Wind swept down his neck and out through his sleeves as he stepped outside, umbre in hand.


    Inside the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Ino sat at the counter absent-mindedly. The warm light above her cast a clear glow, while outside, the rain poured harder and harder. The cold wind snuck in through the gaps in the door, casting a white haze at the shop''s entrance.


    Asuma had mentioned during their dinnerst night that while they had seven days off, there was no guarantee they would get the full break. If there were any movements from Sunagakure, they would have to end their holiday at any time.


    It was likely to be a coordinated Genin mission, and at this crucial moment, they were the only ones left in the vige that could be mobilized at will.


    Outside, the rain fell heavily,pletely obscuring her view. Ino was restless, so she stood up and walked to the door and carefully opened a small crack.


    She wanted to see if that guy wasing, but she just happened to see a ck umbre pressing down, blocking her view.


    Ino was momentarily stunned, recognizing those tactical sandals and the rain-soaked bare ankles beneath them. As she looked up, she saw a smug face peering at her, the ck umbre lowered.


    "Were you waiting for me?" He asked.


    "It''s hot, I just opened the door to get some fresh air." Ino rolled her eyes at him, "Don''t think you''re so important."


    There were several crashing sounds on the street, which seemed to be the sound of some iron frame falling to the ground. She looked at Naruto, whose hair was half wet, pursed her lips and made way.


    "Come in."


    "This is the first time I''ve woken up this early. You should at least give me some kind of reward, right?" Naruto shook the ck umbre vigorously, then leaned it against the corner.


    "You¡¯re the one who insisted oning." Ino muttered, pulling a towel from beneath the counter, "Dry your hair first."


    "Thanks." Naruto reached out to take it, and after wiping his hair for a while, he realized something felt off. He examined the towel closely and a strange look appeared on his face.


    "Turns out you like rabbits, huh?"


    "Huh?" Ino was confused for a moment.


    It wasn''t until Narutopletely unfolded the white towel, revealing a purple embroidered bunny, that Ino''s eyes suddenly widened. She let out a small gasp, and quickly snatched the towel back.


    "I got the wrong one!" Her face flushed instantly, and she clutched the towel tightly. "This one¡¯s for my own use! I-I¡¯ll get you a new one."


    As she said that, she hurried back to the counter, pulled out a dry white towel from underneath and handed it to Naruto.


    He didn¡¯t take it, instead sniffing the air a bit.


    "Personal use?"


    "Go to hell, you pervert! It¡¯s just for wiping sweat!" Ino angrily threw the new towel at Naruto''s face.


    Naruto just smiled and used the new towel to dry his hair.


    "Where''s Uncle?" Naruto asked after drying his hair.


    "Work." Ino rested her elbow on the counter, looked up at Naruto and said, "You ask even though you already knew the answer."


    "Just asking casually." He chuckled awkwardly, "Isn''t it kind of inappropriate for me to just hang around here?"


    "Yeah." Ino nodded seriously, agreeing with him.


    "Alright, but being inappropriate doesn¡¯t matter now." Naruto shrugged, lookingpletely unfazed, "I''m already here anyway."


    Ino couldn''t do much about him, so she fell silent. From her angle behind the counter, she could clearly see Naruto''s profile and Adam''s apple, and she suddenly felt the atmosphere became strange.


    The rain outside pelted against the windows, and Ino reached down and pinched her thigh. She was wearing a cotton skirt, and the red mark briefly indented her skin before fading to white.


    "Can you open the window? It''s a bit hot."


    She had been lost in thought, but her own trembling voice startled her, ¡®Since when had I be so nervous?¡¯


    "The rain is pretty heavy, it might blow in." Naruto nced outside before turning back to Ino, looking puzzled, "Are you sure you want to open it?"


    "Yeah." She tried to keep herposure, but she ended up standing up anyway.


    "I can open it." He offered.


    "Huh?" Ino suddenly realized she had stood up at some point.


    But she had already stood up due to excessive nervousness, and it would be a little embarrassing if she sat down again, so she quickly insisted, "No, I can open it myself."


    She hurriedly walked out of the counter.


    The rain poured harder, the wind howling. The window shook in the cold wind, as if it might fall apart at any moment. Ino, with her shoulders hunched, walked over to it.


    She¡¯s not high enough, as the window was about one meter higher than her.


    Below it were neatly arranged flowers and soft soil on shelves. If she just opened the window, some rain might get in, but it wouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue.


    Ino thought about jumping up to reach the window, but when she remembered she was wearing a skirt, she immediately gave up this absurd idea.


    ¡®That guy was standing there watching, and if he saw me like that, I would beughed at for the rest of my life.¡¯


    With that thought, her irritation towards Naruto grew a little more.


    She pulled over a high stool and took off her shoes, ready to step on it. However, as if she suddenly remembered something, she suddenly retracted her feet and turned to look in Naruto''s direction.


    Thetter had already walked over and was holding the stool steady.


    "You could fall like this."


    She initially wanted to tell him it was none of his business, but then realized he hadn''t really done anything wrong.


    ¡®If he could just move his eyes away from my feet, he would be considered a gentleman.¡¯

 Chapter 216 His Soul Burns Forever

    Chapter 216 His Soul Burns Forever


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    "Don''t look." Inoined.


    "Alright."


    Ino sighed in resignation. Luckily, her cotton skirt reached past her knees, so it wasn''t easy to see anything inappropriate. She bit her lip, stood on tiptoe, and reached up with her pale arm to open the window.


    Her slender, delicate fingers fumbled briefly in the air before they managed to grasp the knob on the window. She exerted a lot of force and, with a loud tter, pulled the window open.


    Wind mixed with raindrops rushed in, momentarily clearing Ino¡¯s mind. She looked down, ready to step off the stool.


    Their eyes met perfectly. Naruto was staring at the girl in the cotton skirt. Seeing her hair messed up by the wind, his heart suddenly felt itchy.


    Naruto wanted to reach out and brush her hair away. The urge was almost overwhelming.


    "All done?" His voice came out strangely, tinged with a mix of indescribable emotions.


    Ino felt her heartbeat quicken, and her body reacting in all sorts of odd ways. Her legs inexplicably felt weak. She nced at Naruto, suddenly feeling parched.


    ¡®Something is wrong¡­ Something is very wrong.¡¯


    Ino couldn¡¯t make sense of it. She had been alone with him before, even slept on the same bed, but she had only felt shy, and the two of them had always kept thingspletely innocent.


    But now, she felt that not only was there something wrong with Naruto, but she seemed to be wrong too.


    ¡®Is it because we haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time?¡¯


    "Yeah." Her voice was very soft. She slowly squatted down on the high stool and prepared to get down, with one foot tentatively stepping on the shoe that looked like the ground.


    Naruto suddenly grabbed her hand and steadied her by holding her waist.


    "You¡­" Ino¡¯s heart raced, and she turned her head to look at him in surprise.


    She was at a loss for words. When her foot finally touched the ground, it went weak for a moment before she steadied herself again. Her cheeks burned, and her breathing became rapid.


    A tingling sensation ran from her spine up to the back of her head, spreading throughout her body.


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto naturally let go of her, his eyes clear as he looked at her, "I was just worried you might fall."


    "N-Nothing." She put her shoes back on and returned to the counter, her face flushed.


    She was mumbling something under her breath, her voice unclear. Naruto sat across from her, separated by the counter. On a rainy day like this, there weren¡¯t many customers, and those who came by usually just took shelter under the eaves.


    People passing by would often nce into the shop, their eyes drifting over the flower racks beforending on the pair of teens by the counter.


    The boy sat casually, his expression rxed, almost slouched over the table. The girl seemed to be sulking, her face turned away, avoiding the boy¡¯s gaze.


    The rain poured outside, the sound of it filling the shop. Naruto turned his palm over and spoke up, "Your waist feels really soft."


    That statement was like lighting a fuse¡­ Ino instantly shot up, leaning halfway over the counter to grab Naruto¡¯s arm in a twist.


    "Say that kind of thing again, you pervert! You just love taking advantage of me, don¡¯t you?"


    "I do." Naruto winced in pain, baring his teeth.


    "Love what?"


    "Love everything."


    "I don¡¯t know what to do with you." Ino turned her eyes away and pulled her hand back. She didn''t know where to look, but she finally felt a little better.


    It wasn¡¯t because of that ambiguous ¡®love everything¡¯, but because she had managed to retaliate.


    She wanted to say she liked him too, but she didn¡¯t want to let him take another inch, so she kept quiet. Yet, she couldn¡¯t quite let it go, so she asked, "Does it hurt?"


    "It''s okay." Naruto replied.


    He vaguely understood that Ino wasn¡¯t really asking if it hurt when she pinched him, but rather offering some kind offort. It was like hugging a tree that couldn¡¯t hug back, and in return, a few leaves fell on your shoulder.


    It is always difficult for gentle people to be truly happy. They always have to consider other people''s feelings and constantly measured their actions. But everyone knew that thinking too much often leads to unhappiness.


    Whether hurting others or getting hurt, they endure a silent suffering in their hearts.


    Ino didn''t know before that liking someone can be a two-way thing¡­ It didn¡¯t have to be embarrassing or mean sacrificing her dignity by exposing her past to the person she liked.


    When she lifted her hand to shield him from the sun, he¡¯d hold an umbre for her in the rain. He cared about her feelings, and his affection for her was obvious.


    Even if she subconsciously wanted to take it all upon herself, he would surely drag her out of the darkness and bluntly ask, "Are you crazy?"


    Naruto is just that kind of person¡­ his soul always burned fiercely. Despite his sometimes gloomy demeanor, he always told others, ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid, there''s light ahead.¡¯


    The rain continued to drizzle down, and silence settled back into the flower shop.


    Ino shifted in her seat, lightly coughing to hide her unease. Even though the person across from her hadn¡¯t said anything particrly meaningful, she felt like every part of her that his gaze touched was burning up.


    Finally, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and couldn¡¯t help but want to ask him something, "You¡­"


    Just as she was about to say this, she heard him say something first, "I''m a little thirsty. Don''t customers even get a drink around here?"


    "Since when are you considered a customer? You''ve got hands and feet, don''t you? Go get it yourself!" Ino snapped back unhappily, swallowing the question she was about to ask.


    ¡®Forget it, I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡¯


    Even though she said that, Ino still got up and went upstairs to make him a cup of hot cocoa, which she then shoved in front of him with a look of mock revenge.


    "Drink."


    Naruto stared at the steaming cup of cocoa, feeling an overwhelming sweetness rise up that made his stomach instinctively reject the sugary drink.


    "I don''t want to drink this."


    Ino shot him a nce, "Are you going to drink it or not?"


    After thinking for a moment, Naruto pulled the cup closer and pinched his nose as he took a sip. Though it was supposed to be sweet, he drank it as if it were bitter medicine.


    "It¡¯s sweet." Ino said while standing behind the counter.


    "It''s the same feeling when something is too sweet and bitter," Naruto replied.


    "Troublesome." Ino muttered as she got up again and poured him a ss of water, "Drink this instead."


    "Okay." Naruto nodded, pushing the hot cocoa back toward her. Ino paused briefly before taking it without a word, holding it in her hands.


    With a ding, the door to the flower shop opened.


    They both turned their heads to look toward the entrance. Rino was about to call Ino but froze for a second when she saw Naruto sitting there.


    She was used to seeing her daughter sitting at the counter, reading or dozing off. Ino had been that way since she was a child, always so well-behaved, sitting there quietly.


    In fact, Rino didn¡¯t even need to step inside to picture her daughter sitting there, whether wearing an apron or with her blonde hair pinned up to reveal her pale neck, always in that spot.


    On rainy days like this, the shop¡¯s main light wasn¡¯t on, and the lighting felt a bit dim. Only the soft yellow sidemp next to the counter was on, casting a warm glow over the corner of the counter.


    It was like a lighthouse in the middle of the sea, bright yet lonely.


    Usually, at this time, Ino would be sitting there alone, looking up to call out, ¡®Mom¡¯. She had been doing that from the time she was six or seven until her teenage years, and in the blink of an eye, her daughter had grown into a graceful youngdy.


    Rino stared at the line where the counter¡¯s light met the shadows, at the familiar young man in the white short-sleeved shirt, and suddenly found that she seemed to have grown old.


    Ino, noticing her mother, seemed a bit embarrassed but still called out, "Mom, you¡¯re back?"


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Rino stepped inside, setting down the bag she was carrying. For the first time, she felt restrained in the store she had run for more than ten years.


    "Naruto¡¯s here?" She asked with a smile.


    "Yes, Auntie." Naruto also stood up and said politely, "I¡¯m just on break right now."


    "Oh, I see. Well, I¡¯ll head upstairs first, I¡¯m a bit tired." Though Rino wasn¡¯t actually tired, she just wanted to go upstairs to calm her thoughts.


    Maybe it was the rainy weather making her sentimental, giving her a second wave of that parental mncholy. She truly felt like she was getting old.

 Chapter 217 When You’re at Your Loneliest, What Do You Do?

    Chapter 217 When You¡¯re at Your Loneliest, What Do You Do?


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    "What''s going on?" Naruto asked Ino.


    "I don''t know. I''ll go up and take a look."


    Ino got up and walked away from the counter. As she hurried halfway up the stairs, she turned her head to nce at Naruto, pointing at the cocoa on the table with an annoyed look.


    "Drink it all."


    Naruto couldn''t figure out what he had done to offend her. He nced at the steaming cup of sweet drink on the table, showing no intention of touching it.


    "When you''re at your loneliest, what do you do?"


    "Obviously, I create some explosive art."


    At the outskirts of the Land of River¡¯s forest, where the jade-like green trees stood tall, Deidara shed a slightly crazed smile at Sasori.


    Sasori didn¡¯t respond, continuing to control his Hiruko puppet as it moved forward.


    "Hey, don¡¯t leave! Did I say something wrong?" Deidara chased after him, "Whether it''s loneliness or any other emotion, it will all be sublimated at the moment of the explosion."


    Walking beside Sasori, Deidara waved his hand excitedly.


    "Senpai, art is whatsts within a moment, and so is explosion."


    Sasori was still controlling the Hiruko puppet to move forward slowly. The puppet was ugly, hunched over, and its body waspletely covered by a ck cloak with red clouds pattern.


    "Let''s go." Sasori''s changed voice came from inside the puppet, "Since we have decided to capture the Biju, why not take advantage of the turmoil in Sunagakure to start early? What are we waiting for, dragging things out like this?"


    Sasori was a bit irritated. He had originally been a pure avenger. Konoha''s White Fang had killed his parents, and Chiyo had kept it from him. But lies can¡¯t stand the test of time, and they eventually unravel under the harsh sunlight.


    He sought revenge and killed everyone responsible, but then received news that Konoha¡¯s White Fang hadmitted suicide.


    He originally joined the Akatsuki with the sole intent of venting his hatred, but he found the organization¡¯s quality seemed to be a bit mixed, and they were slow in doing things.


    The Akatsuki was no longer the Akatsuki of pure vengeance, and that made him feel increasingly bored.


    "Yeah, I feel the same way. The people in the organization don¡¯t seem too smart." Deidara tapped his head and said, "Although they keep talking about great goals, I always feel that they are just talking empty words."


    "Those two disgusting immortals have been out there making money and asionally killing people for years now, but beyond that, they don¡¯t seem to be doing much. They just wander around like headless flies, and it is getting more and more boring to stay here."


    "If it weren¡¯t for my desire to surpass Uchiha Itachi, I would¡¯ve left a long time ago. What kind of people are they recruiting? A bunch of weirdos, some obsessed with money, others with their religions."


    "A bunch of people who don¡¯t understand art, with no aspirations at all.¡±


    Deidara ranted on like a junior employeeining to his superior, then gave Sasori a respectful nce before making a suggestion, "Anyway, this mission is boring. How about we swing by Sunagakure?"


    "Even if we go, we can''t act on our own. There''s no point." Sasori replied.


    "Alright." Deidara said nonchntly.


    He could have spent his time ying with Kurotsuchi in the office, but instead, he chose explosive y. He didn''t want a good junior sister with beautiful legs, but was recruited by Uchiha Itachi after being tricked.


    To him, everyone in Akatsuki is a talented person, but their conversations were hard to bear.


    Explosions were art, but it was tough when no one acknowledged it.


    Fortunately, his senior is also into art. Although his methods were a bit extreme, it gave them somemon ground. Although Deidara always feel that his senior does not recognize the organization and looks like he might defect at any moment.


    But for now, he would take things one day at a time. As long as he could keep blowing things up, it was all good.


    ¡­


    Back at the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    Naruto sat at the counter, bathed in warm light. The thunderstorm outside showed no signs of letting up. Ino was still upstairs, leaving Naruto as the only one on the ground floor of the shop.


    Naruto stared at the street outside the shop, where a misty fog had begun to form, and his thoughts gradually drifted away.


    He had no idea what the Akatsuki was nning, but he knew that if it came down to a confrontation, it would be tough. Just dealing with the immortal duo would be a particrly thorny challenge.


    He is not the original Naruto, and he does not have the ultimate Talk-no-Jutsu. His talent in speech was limited to delivering silent but deadly blows, capable of angering and psychologically wounding his opponents.


    Convincing someone to change for the better? That seemed a bit beyond his capabilities.


    ¡®I wonder when the system will give out a reward for Talk-no-Jutsu with a 100% sess rate, though realistically, I don''t think such an outrageous thing would be avable. Otherwise, the next reward could very well be the protagonist¡¯s plot armor.¡¯


    ¡®But then again, since there is no such thing as Talk-no-Jutsu and the protagonist''s plot armor, the viin''s demoted intelligence naturally does not exist either.¡¯


    After turning these thoughts over in his mind, Naruto came to a conclusion.


    It''s precarious!


    For now, the storyline was progressing normally, but he had already altered the course of many events.


    Jiraiya had already gone off early to investigate the Akatsuki, and until he returned to the vige, no one would know what Akatsuki was doing. Perhaps the Biju Capture n had been elerated, or perhaps it was dyed.


    Everything is unknown.


    From the information currently avable, Naruto knew that the Four Great Shinobi Countries were all focused on Sunagakure. After all, the session of the Kazekage directly impacted the future standing of the Land of Wind.


    Everyone seemed eager to see the Land of Wind copse, akin to the concept of ¡®when a whale falls, all life is nourished¡¯.


    The treasures of the Land of Wind, like gold dust, chakra minerals, and purple gleaming ore, were under the watchful eyes of all nations. If the Kazekage¡¯s session truly faced issues, the Land of Wind''s downfall and annexation would just be a matter of time.


    As for the vacation, it was unclear how many days he had left. Watching the heavy rain outside, Naruto secretly wished that the summons for duty would arrive only on thest day of his day-off.


    There was a noiseing from upstairs. Ino stopped at the corner of the stairs, but showed no intention ofing down.


    Naruto looked up at her, noticing that she had already changed into a green apron. With a hint of helplessness on her face, she waved at him, motioning him toe up.


    "Me?" Naruto pointed at himself.


    Ino nodded, but didn''t say anything, just letting out a sigh. She stood with her hands on her hips, her golden hair draping over her ears, hiding her pale neck.


    Naruto gripped the wooden staircase railing and went upstairs, only to hear the girl¡¯s voice.


    "My mother wants you to stay for dinner."


    Boom!


    Outside, the rain poured down in torrents, and lightning briefly lit up the dim flower shop¡¯s ground floor, revealing the empty, softly-lit counter.


    The two stood on the stairs, one slightly higher than the other.


    "Is it just because of Auntie¡¯s wishes?" Naruto looked up at her, not budging from his spot until he got an answer.


    Ino sighed, her face showing a ¡®where do you get all these questions¡¯ kind of expression. She exhaled deeply and said, "It''s also my idea."


    "That''s good." He smiled and walked past Ino.

 Chapter 218 I Really Like It

    Chapter 218 I Really Like It


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    Just after reaching the second floor, Naruto suddenly turned back.


    Ino thought he was going to say something again. But instead, Naruto hurried downstairs to bring up the cup of warm, sweet drink.


    "Do you want it?"


    "No."


    "But I don''t drink it either. It''s getting cold, and it would be a waste to leave it there."


    "Let it go to waste then." Ino frowned. She wasn¡¯t sure what kind of game Naruto was ying, but she patiently continued arguing with him.


    "Just take a sip." He urged.


    "I won¡¯t."


    Their bickering on the stairs was loud enough to draw the attention of Rino, who had changed intofortable home clothes and peeked down from the living room on the second floor to see what was happening below.


    "Come up and talk. It''s tiring to stand there."


    "Alright." Ino sighed and took the cup from Naruto''s hand. She was about to head upstairs when she noticed Naruto watching her with a calm expression.


    Reluctantly, she took a sip from the cup and then turned to go upstairs.


    "Kid, can''t you juste up and drink? Why do you have to ask others to bring you hot drinks?" Rino said in a nagging manner and made way for Ino.


    "Oh." Ino, slightly annoyed, went into the kitchen.


    Naruto sat properly on the sofa in the second-floor living room, his eyes drifting towards the kitchen. Rino had gone to the balcony, seemingly to collect some clothes. It seemed like the balcony was connected to the room without passing through the living room.


    Heavy rain pounded on the windows, creating a white haze outside the balcony. The flowers on the stone ledge shivered in the cold wind and rain.


    A momentter, Rino returned from the room.


    Even without makeup and in casual home clothes, she couldn''t hide her graceful and elegant aura. She¡¯s like a noblewoman from a drama, with every move exuding sophistication.


    "It''s raining too heavily." She said as she walked through the living room to the kitchen, as if she was talking to both Naruto and Ino, "The Academy is surrounded by parents."


    "There were parents everywhere picking up their children. The Academy¡¯s gate had copsed and the entrance was in a mess. Those kids who couldn''t find their parents were wandering around."


    "In the past, our Ino never needed to be picked up in this weather. She could handle it on her own. After all, she''s a Shinobi, and even at a young age, she should be able to stand on her own."


    "If the rain is too heavy, it''s safer to pick them up." Naruto whispered his opinion.


    Of course, it was just a casualment, just small talk. Yamanaka Rino wasn¡¯t going to take that statement and hop into a time machine to go back to Ino¡¯s childhood to pick her up from school.


    Perhaps Ino herself had long forgotten that one rainy afternoon when everyone else had left, and she was left alone, staring at the thick curtain of rain, wondering when she should run home.


    Fortunately, the Academy was never short of orphans, and there were plenty of kids running in the rain.


    ¡®Something like that, probably.¡¯


    In the kitchen, Ino kept her head down, chopping vegetables in silence. Sometimes, having a good memory isn¡¯t a blessing, as it means she couldn¡¯t forget those not-so-great memories.


    So much so that a casualment could bring on a bout of inner turmoil. Yet, she couldn¡¯t show any of it on her face, as being too understanding made her feel like being willful would just be troublesome.


    Even showing any grievance felt like a hassle.


    The discussion about whether to pick up or not had no real meaning, and Rino didn¡¯t dwell on it. She paused briefly in the center of the living room and gave Naruto a polite smile.


    "You¡¯re right." She said lightly.


    She became a Shinobi at the age of twelve, had someone she liked at the age of fourteen, married Inoichi at the age of eighteen, and only at the age of twenty-one did she fall in love with the quiet man.


    Her youth wasn¡¯t exactly bright, but she was fortunate in other ways.


    She never spoke to her crush, so there was neither a beginning nor an end. She maintained her dignity, just as she always did.


    Inoichi allowed her to keep that dignity, giving her all the respect and status a nobledy could have. She has a happy family, a flower shop, and even gave birth to a daughter, which was so reliable that she didn''t have to worry about her at all.


    Naruto observed her dignified smile and returned a smile of his own.


    "Yes."


    He responded appropriately, not saying anything unnecessary or unsuitable. He watched Rino head into the kitchen, then heard the sound of a quiet conversation between the mother and daughter inside.


    He leaned back on the sofa, not feeling particrly restrained, casually grabbing a cushion and pressing it against his chest as a prop. The sofa faced the balcony, where a thin streak of lightning shed across the sky.


    Boom!


    The thunder rumbled.


    Naruto stared nkly, gazing at the torrential rain outside the balcony, his mind wandering back to recent events.


    He wondered if Orochimaru would be very furious if he couldn''t find the Shinigami Mask, as he would suffer the eternal torment of the burning sensation in his soul.


    Not long after, Ino came out of the kitchen holding a warm cup of cocoa, no longer wearing her apron, which she had likely handed over to Rino.


    She didn''t say anything and just sat next to Naruto, with some distance between them.


    After a long moment, Ino spoke in a low voice, "Thanks."


    Naruto turned his head and nced at Ino. The girl quickly averted her gaze, blinking nervously, as if caught off guard.


    "Thank me for what?"


    Upon hearing this, she hesitated, gripping the no-longer-hot cup tightly with her ten fingers wrapped around the outside. She squeezed so hard that her knuckles turned slightly white.


    "For what you just said." She whispered, her voice so soft that only those within the vicinity of the sofa could hear, "You said I should be picked up."


    "I just said it casually. After all, it can''t be realized." Naruto replied honestly.


    ¡°I know.¡± Ino said, her fingers tightening around the cup as if trying to draw out the remaining heat inside, ¡°I know.¡±


    "I got soaked that time, came home drenched. No one was home. My dad was still busy with work, and I didn¡¯t know where my mom went."


    "But during dinner, Mom praised me, and I felt a bit better at that moment. It¡¯s really no big deal, and they both love me a lot."


    Naruto handed her a cushion, and Ino hesitated for a moment before setting the cup down and taking the cushion.


    She curled up slightly, almost as if trying to absorb the cushion into her small frame. Her voice wavered, hinting at some instability in her emotions.


    But soon, everything seemed to return to normal.


    "But still, thank you."


    "I wasn¡¯t that bothered by getting wet in the rain. Sometimes I just want to speak up, but it always feels like too much trouble, and I don¡¯t want them to bring it up anymore."


    "They think it''s something worth boasting about, but for some reason, every time they mention it, I feel a bit upset. I don¡¯t have a reason to tell them to stop, and I don¡¯t know how to say it."


    The thunder was deafening, and the balcony¡¯s floor-to-ceiling windows rattled loudly.


    In the brief silence between the thunder, she turned her head and looked at Naruto. Her lips pressed together, her voice soft, yet different from her usual tone.


    "I¡¯m really happy that someone is speaking up for me now."


    A smile appeared on her face, a smile that came from the heart.


    ¡°I really like this feeling, and I also really like¡­¡±


    Boom!


    A loud crash of thunder erupted, louder than before, and lightning shed across the balcony, illuminating everything in white. Naruto saw Ino¡¯s lips moving, but her voice waspletely drowned out by the thunder.

 Chapter 219 The Girl Praised By The Gods

    Chapter 219 The Girl Praised By The Gods


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    The sound of thunder drowned out all other noises, but Naruto could still see Ino''s lips moving. Her expression was different from her usual indifferent or annoyed look. Instead, she wore a gentle smile, one that seemed soft and tender, even with a hint of fondness.


    This kind of scene usually only happens between couples deeply in love or at weddings of newlyweds, a pure, unreserved smile that¡¯s so sincere it evokes sympathy.


    Her slightly flushed cheeks and the dazed look in her eyes were like strands of delicate silk, beautiful and captivating to anyone who saw them.


    Naruto saw herst sentence, which waspletely imprinted in his mind. The silence was more powerful than the sound, and the sound seemed to explode in his mind.


    ¡®Like you.¡¯


    Her voice was careful and carried the emotion of a confession, whispered softly in the dimly lit living room. Her eyes were bright, filled with a tenderness that was almost overwhelming.


    Naruto was stunned for a moment and couldn''t help but held his breath. Ino''s expression was so striking that it was impossible for him to remain indifferent, and he felt his heart start to race.


    Shakespeare''s sos shed through his mind. A summer praised by gods couldn¡¯tpare to the gentle and lovely face of the girl before him. Her beauty wouldn¡¯t fade in storm or time, and even Death would lift a hand to shield her, immortalized in verse and gaze.


    Dark clouds loomed over the balcony, thunder roared, and lightning streaked through the sky like branches. Raindrops clung to the young green tendrils of vines, and the downpour cascaded from above, leaving the streets empty save for stray dogs scurrying through alleys.


    The dark blue eyes seemed to be able to see through everything, piercing directly into his empty heart. Waiting for his response, for him to answer Ino¡¯s words.


    ¡®What to say?¡¯


    ¡®Surely, now was the time to say something!¡¯ Naruto¡¯s fingers, resting on the sofa, twitched slightly as if jolted by electricity. He then opened his mouth.


    He had nothing, and he had always been that way. His life¡¯s goal was simply to lie downfortably, without lofty ambitions or clear paths to adulthood. He had a wed personality and will take revenge for any slight.


    He had bottom line, but it was flexible, he had a sense of morality, but it was limited. The system he possessed was just a means to avoid rigorous training and still stay alive.


    In the end, he knew he wasn¡¯t perfect. He had significant personality ws, some misguided beliefs, and even a somewhat twisted sense of right and wrong.


    Yet, even with all of this, he still yearned for beautiful things. The girl''s passionate soul, her innocent, shining expression¡­ he wanted to respond, to reach out and feel her warmth.


    "I like you too." His voice was steady, not too loud nor too soft, just enough for Ino, who was sitting a half-sofa away, to hear.


    He saw Ino''s pale hand release the pillow, nervously dropping onto the sofa, with their fingers about a meter apart.


    In the dimly lit living room, Ino maintained that position for a moment, her fingers slowly inching towards him. Naruto nced up at her, and his hand slowly reached out too.


    Thunder rumbled outside the balcony, and faint ttering sounds from the kitchen could be heard.


    On the Yamanaka Family¡¯s living room sofa, the two pale hands, one on the left and one on the right, moved slowly along the sofa''s surface, like trains approaching each other.


    Ino suddenly felt a little breathless, her heart pounding wildly. This is the most daring thing she had ever done. Watching their hands get closer, the scene was a little thrilling.


    She could feel her cheeks heat up, and she couldn''t take her eyes off Naruto''s hands. His hand seemed slightlyrger than hers, warm like a furnace.


    At the moment when their fingertips were about to touch, a sound suddenly came from the kitchen.


    "Ino, could you help me get the sugar jar?"


    "Okay!" Ino quickly straightened up on the sofa, her back arched, and responded loudly. Her face turned a deep shade of red, and even her neck flushed.


    She hurriedly stood up, stealing a quick nce at Naruto before swiftly leaving the room.


    Naruto calmly retracted his hand. The sweet scent that Ino left behind still lingered in the air, but it vanished as quickly as it came. He walked to the balcony and found that the rain had subsided.


    The potted flowers on the balcony remained strong, and the round holes in the sink were filled with clear rainwater. The sky outside was clear, and the white mist had dissipated.


    After finishing his meal, Naruto took his leave.


    After all, Ino''s mother was at home, and it would be awkward to stay any longer, so he simply decided to leave. Ino seemed a bit uneasy, never making direct eye contact with him.


    He could asionally feel Ino¡¯s gaze pass over him, but it never lingered. When he looked back, all he saw was the fading blush on her face.


    "Goodbye."


    Naruto left the Yamanaka flower shop, holding an umbre as he walked along Konoha''s main street on his way home. Everything was damp, and the afternoon sun emerged, making the golden raindrops dance like mes.


    The second day of vacation.


    The rain from yesterday had dried up by morning.


    Naruto squatted under the eaves of the training ground, watching Lee in his green training outfit doing one-finger push-ups under the zing sun. He couldn''t help but yawn.


    "How many now?" Naruto asked, resting his chin on his hand.


    "Four hundred and forty-one." Lee was drenched in sweat, and the shadow beneath him was soaked from it. "Still a few more to go."


    "Do two more and then stop." Naruto stood up and said.


    "Why?"


    "Four-four-four is unlucky, and we''re about to go on a mission." He stated matter-of-factly, "This is a big mission. All four Genin Teams have to go."


    Lee was a straightforward person and couldn''t win the argument with Naruto, so he just said ¡®oh¡¯ and did two more push-ups before standing up obediently.


    Most of the time, Lee stayed with Team 3, and he would asionally join Guy for missions. After all, he was Guy¡¯s direct disciple, so they had a better synergy working together.


    Because of this, Lee''s personality mirrored Guy''s, unrestrained and innocent.


    Hard work in training ismendable, but if Naruto had known, he wouldn''t have agreed to train with Lee. Early in the morning, Naruto found himself squatting here, watching Lee warm up.


    "Let''s get started. But let me make it clear first. I won''t use the Biju¡¯s Chakra, and you are not allowed to use the Eight Gates." Naruto muttered, "You should also hold back a bit, don¡¯t end up killing me."


    Naruto¡¯s Taijutsu are indeed not good. Without the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra, he was a notch below Lee''s level.


    "Are you wearing your weights?"


    "Yes."


    "Are they heavy enough? Add more if they''re not!" Naruto shamelessly suggested.


    Lee checked the weights on his legs, shook his head, and said it was enough. Tightening the bandages on his hands, he took a stance, gesturing for Naruto toe at him.


    Naruto sighed and slowly stepped into the training area.

 Chapter 220 Kurosuki Raiga’s Funeral

    Chapter 220 Kurosuki Raiga¡¯s Funeral


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    Lee''s Taijutsu is more sophisticated than anyone else''s. From the first round, Naruto could feel Lee¡¯s extraordinary reaction speed and solid foundation in Taijutsu.


    Naruto could only continuously use Ninjutsu to keep Lee at bay, as his Taijutsu was barely good enough. Since it was just training, he wasn¡¯t taking it too seriously. Normally, people wouldn''t ask a Jinchuriki to spar with them, but Lee would.


    Generally speaking, not using the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra felt like a waste, but Naruto didn¡¯t want a repeat of thest time he and Lee ended up tearing down the training ground, so he imposed a lot of restrictions.


    This training was essentially pointless. Lee dodged all of Naruto''s small-scale Ninjutsu, whether it was Wind Release, Lightning Release, or Lava Release.


    None were particrly powerful, but they were certainly annoying.


    After a long bout, Lee couldn¡¯t find an opening to close the distance. When he finally spotted a weak point, his eyes sparkled with excitement. Shouting in joy, he leapt high and used the Konoha Whirlwind.


    Naruto frowned slightly, and as if he suddenly thought of something, he suddenly called out the system.


    [Kurosuki Raiga''s Funeral!]


    A group of men dressed in ck, carrying a white coffin, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with the deceased Raiga leading the way. The coffin mmed open with a bang, and without hesitation, they sealed Lee inside.


    Bang bang bang!


    Lee desperately struggled inside the coffin, but was restricted by the power of rules and could not break the coffin forcibly in a short time.


    Naruto forcibly interrupted the technique, stopping just short of burying Lee alive.


    Although this technique is a bit bizarre, it proved quite effective when used. The funeral procession stopped, with only the sound of the coffin lid being kicked from inside.


    Naruto''s nose twitched, but he ignored Lee. After all, if Lee was released, he would want to spar with him again.


    Sparring, What nonsense. Only barbarians enjoyed to do such troublesome things as fighting and killing.


    "What is that?"


    Outside the training ground, Tenten pointed at the white coffin in surprise and asked.


    "It''s nothing, just a Ninjutsu." Naruto had already walked to the faucet and turned on the water to wash his arms.


    If it weren''t for Tenten showing up unexpectedly, he might have even taken an open-air shower.


    "Ninjutsu?" Tenten was slightly taken aback but didn''t find it too unusual. "Where''s Lee? We''ve got a mission. Hokage-sama asked us to gather and prepare for the mission."


    "So soon?" Naruto raised his head and looked at Tenten, slightly surprised.


    "Yeah, that''s the message from the Hokage''s Office." Tenten nced around, "Lee¡¯s not here? Then I¡¯ll go look for him elsewhere."


    "Here." Naruto grinned awkwardly, and with a bang, he dispelled the technique.


    The coffin-carrying team disappeared, and Lee immediately rolled out of the coffin, still crouched in a stance as if ready to punch the coffin lid.


    Tenten: "¡­"


    She averted her gaze and looked away.


    She was a little exasperated. She felt that except for Neji, the people around her were all weird, including her teachers andpanions.


    "What kind of Ninjutsu is that? It was so amazing!" Xiao Li jumped up from the ground.


    "Just an ordinary Ninjutsu, mainly for pranks." Naruto replied casually, then pointed towards Tenten''s direction and said, "We need to get ready for a mission. There¡¯s been trouble in Sunagakure."


    "Great!" Lee punched the air and shouted enthusiastically.


    But he quickly realized his slip and stammered, trying to correct himself, "I mean, that¡¯s unfortunate."


    Tenten facepalmed, looking at her teammates and feeling like her youth was anything but blissful. She took a deep breath and said to the two, "Neji and the others are already preparing, you two should hurry up too. Everyone will be there."


    The three parted ways, and Naruto went home to change into his mission gear. Knowing that everyone would be involved, he felt a bit uneasy, so he grabbed Kurama, who was lounging on the sofa, and took him along.


    Kurama was sleeping soundly when someone picked him up. He couldn''t help but raise his head drowsily to look at Naruto, "What is it?"


    "Nothing much. It''s time for you to work and pay off your debt." Naruto grabbed him by the scruff and walked out the door.


    After a quick shower and changing into his gear, he mmed the door shut behind him.


    The sound of Naruto''s footsteps echoed in the stairwell, his wet hair still dripping water. Kurama''s grumpyints mixed with the noise of his steps.


    "You want me to work? I refuse to get involved in your human wars."


    "It''s not a war, just a mission. I''m a bit uneasy, so I''m bringing you along for extra insurance." Naruto made his way down the stairs toward the brightly lit exit leading to Konoha''s main street.


    "Mission?" Kurama snorted, "Whether you need my help or not, you will still owe me a hundred bottles of booze."


    "Got it." Naruto ced Kurama on his shoulder and began walking while checking his Ninja Pouch. "We might not even need you, it''s just for insurance."


    "Besides, look at how fat you have be. You used to be a lean dog, but now you''re as plump as a pig. If I don''t take you out for some exercise, the only difference between you and a pig will be your fur color.¡±


    "Damn it! How dare you, you brat!" Kurama grumbled, feeling insulted.


    Although life had been morefortabletely, he hadn''t forgotten who he was, ¡®Me? A pig? I am the fearsome Kyubi no Yoko, a terrifying Biju!¡¯


    ¡®Humph!¡¯ Kurama perched on Naruto''s shoulder, feeling a bit like he was riding a mount.


    "Hurry up, kid."


    "Why are you rushing me? If you''re so eager, why don''t you get down and walk yourself?" Naruto ignored him, "Behave yourself, you fat pig fox, or you won''t be able to drink a drop of booze in the future."


    "You despicable human, a gigolo like you should be dragged out and fed to the dogs."


    "Heh, shut up." Naruto directly picked Kurama up from his shoulder and carried him in his hand. He noted that Kurama has be more and more plump recently, with his limbs growing stubby.


    He is originally a Biju wrapped in the skin of Jashin¡¯s dog. In essence, it is just a body with a mass of pure Chakra energy living in it, with his outer appearance adjustable at will.


    Normally, Kurama didn''t need to eat or drink, and his body also didn''t expel impurities. He existed purely as an energy form, absorbing and converting the energy from booze entirely.


    As a result, Kurama, who had indulged in too much sake, now resembled the chubby cat from Natsume''s Book of Friends.


    Naruto didn''t mind. After all, with the system in him, Kurama couldn''t cause any trouble.


    To keep the most powerful Biju around, he only needed to spend some money to buy booze. He wasn''t short on money, and the cost of booze was negligible.


    Usually, if Kurama made a request, Naruto would satisfy it as long as he was not busy.


    Anyway, Kurama assumed he was being taken care of by the two wealthy girls, Ino and Hinata, making Naruto aplete gigolo. And Naruto also didn''t bother correcting this misunderstanding.

 Chapter 221 A Small Favor

    Chapter 221 A Small Favor


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    As usual, everyone gathered at the Hokage Tower. Naruto had nned to head straight to the fifth floor, but as he walked into the courtyard, he spotted some familiar faces.


    Sakura and Ino were chatting andughing together, while Kiba, Shino, and Hinata were waiting nearby. It seemed that Choji and Shikamaru hadn''t arrived yet, but Lee and Neji showed up shortly after.


    Pausing for a moment, Naruto decided against going upstairs and stayed in the courtyard to wait.


    Anyway, the team leader for this mission will probably be Shikamaru, the future Konoha¡¯s military advisor, so there is no point for him to go up first. Even if there were special orders, Tsunade would just send someone to summon him.


    Ino noticed Naruto as well, her gaze wavering for a moment before she quickly regained herposure. She had tossed and turned in bed for half an hour the previous night, but she¡¯s unable to shake off the embarrassment in her heart.


    ¡®I had actually said it out loud!¡¯


    ¡®Damn it, he knew it¡­ and he responded.¡¯


    At that moment, her whole being was trembling uncontrobly, her actionspletely disconnected from her rational mind.


    Just thinking about how her mother was cooking in the kitchen while she almost held hands on the sofa was mortifying! It was so embarrassing that she wished she could go back to yesterday and stop her foolish, dazed behavior.


    ¡®Or, I could beat him up until he got a concussion and lost his memory!¡¯


    ¡®Forget it! I absolutely had to forget that memory!!¡¯


    When Ino woke up in the morning, she regretted everything she had done yesterday!!!


    She wanted to live in another world, as it was just too embarrassing!


    Ino had arrived early at the Hokage Tower, hoping to limate herself to the atmosphere in advance. Maybe if she pretended to have forgotten about the incident, Naruto wouldn''t bring it up either.


    ¡®Yeah, with tacit understanding!¡¯


    However, Naruto didn''t seem to catch on to that vibe. He nced around at everyone and then immediately started walking towards Ino and Sakura.


    Ino, sensing something, turned her head slightly, intending to see where Naruto was heading. The moment she saw him walking in her direction, her mind wentpletely nk.


    "What''s wrong?" Sakura asked.


    "Huh?" Ino was confused for a moment.


    Sakura tilted her head slightly and frowned, then asked, "So, what happened to that dress? You suddenly stopped talking."


    While saying that, Sakura followed the direction of Ino''s earlier gaze and saw Naruto approaching them. Her eyes lowered slightly, and she instantly understood Ino¡¯s unusual behavior.


    "Sorry, I got distracted." Ino said, "That dress, it..."


    "The mission is starting so soon?" Naruto interrupted as he approached, naturally asking, "When did you guys get here?"


    "Not long ago." Sakura said with a smile, "Ino arrived earlier. She was already here when I came."


    "Really?"


    "Y-Yeah, not too long." Inoughed dryly, not daring to look Naruto in the eye. But when she turned around, she met Kurama¡¯s eyes and immediately brightened up.


    "Why did you bring him along?"


    "This guy is my Ninken." Naruto lied casually.


    He didn''t care if anyone believed him or not. After all, the chubby fox was right there, and since he had already brought him, Kurama was bound toe along.


    "Ino, about yesterday¡­"


    At his words, Ino''s heart shot up to her throat. Her heart was pounding so fast that she almost ran away.


    "Yesterday!" She blurted out, rushing to speak, "Yesterday... did you stay dry on your way back? My mom was worried you might get soaked."


    "No, I didn''t get wet." Naruto looked at Ino, puzzled by her anxious demeanor, but seeing her tense expression, he decided not to press further.


    Sakura''s eyes shifted back and forth between the two of them, but she didn''t look at them for long before lowering her eyes to look at the ground.


    "Is everyone here?" Shikamaru''szy voice came from the stairs, "Is here yet? That guy loves beingte. Did he show up?"


    "Stop talking nonsense, I''m here! I even came here without drying my hair." Naruto said while rolling his eyes.


    "Who knows with you¡­" Shikamaru grumbled before changing the subject, "What about Ino? Is Ino here?"


    Upon hearing her name being called, Ino, who had just calmed down, nearly froze on the spot again.


    ¡®Why did he call me after calling that guy? Was Shikamaru doing this on purpose?¡¯


    "I''m here!" Ino tried to keep her voice steady, attempting to sound.


    However, as soon as she spoke, the tremor in her voice startled even herself. She couldn''t help but berated herself in her heart for being so jittery, ¡®What was there to be nervous about?¡¯


    "Alright, what about Neji?" Shikamaru nced at the group, seemingly not intentionally singling anyone out.


    "Present." Neji said.


    "Then let''s set off now. Gather at the vige gate immediately. Team 8 will use Shino¡¯s Kikaichu to lead the way." Shikamaru quickly issued the orders. "We''ll sort out formationster."


    Everyone had no objection, so they turned and headed towards the vige entrance in small groups.


    Ino had already joined up with Choji and Shikamaru, likely organizing by Genin teams as the smallest unit. Naruto nced back at Sakura but instead caught sight of Hinata passing by him.


    As she walked past, Hinata looked at Naruto, and noticed that his hair was half dry, with droplets still visible at the tips, slowly sliding down her neck and dampening her cor.


    Naruto had rushed out earlier, and since it was summer, he figured his hair would dry quickly on the way, so he hadn''t paid it much mind.


    Upon seeing Naruto''s current appearance, Hinata¡¯s face turned slightly red for a moment. She even forgot what she was going to say and could only stammer and call out in a low voice, "N-Naruto-kun."


    "Hmm? What''s up?" Naruto didn''t sense anything out of the ordinary. After all, Hinata always blushed when she saw him, so he was used to it by now.


    "N-Nothing." Hinata''s heart skipped a beat.


    The summer heat was oppressive, and the sunlight lingered long. A bird on some tree chirped strangely, catching Naruto''s attention momentarily. When he refocused, Hinata softly said, "I''ll be going now, Naruto-kun."


    Naruto watched Hinata¡¯s hurried departure, feeling bewildered, ¡®Why did everyone seem so strange today? Why were they all acting so secretive?¡¯


    "Let''s go." Sakura walked up beside him with a smile.


    "Okay." Naruto nodded, ¡®Fortunately, Sakura is still normal.¡¯


    "After this mission is over¡­"


    Hearing the calm voice of Dark Sakura beside him, Naruto turned to look at her and asked, "What?"


    "After this mission is over, can you please do me a small favor?"

 Chapter 222 Sunagakure’s Situation

    Chapter 222 Sunagakure¡¯s Situation


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    "What''s up? Are you sorting out the paperwork again?" Naruto asked, "Do you have all your Ninja Tools ready?"


    "Yes, I''ve got everything." Sakura nodded in response, "It''s not that, just a small favor."


    "Oh, okay. We''ll talk about itter. Shouldn''t we take the other route? It''s shorter that way, right?" Naruto pointed in another direction. The vige was circr, and that path was a straight line.


    However, it required jumping over rooftops, which could easily attract the attention of the Anbu.


    Usually, no Shinobi other than the Anbu would take shortcuts over rooftops. Genin and Chunin cared about their image and didn¡¯t want to be seen hopping around like monkeys in Konoha. And the older they got, the more they feared being the subject of gossip.


    Even the students from the Academy were shy about it. Only a few pranksters like Konohamaru still imitated Naruto''s old tricks, enjoying their rooftop escapades.


    Naruto, on the other hand, couldn''t care less. He would go wherever he wanted. Since he had no aspirations of bing Hokage, he did whatever feltfortable. His reckless attitude was often a headache for Tsunade, who considered him as unmanageable as mud that wouldn''t stick to the wall.


    Hearing this, Sakura''s expression stiffened, "I''m not doing that!"


    There''s no reason to run over rooftops, and getting caught would be extremely embarrassing.


    ¡°But it''s a shorter way¡­¡±


    Naruto looked puzzled, but he couldn''t resist Sakura and was dragged away. By the time they reached the vige gates, everyone else had already arrived.


    "You guys are so slow." Shikamaru said with a pair of dead fish eyes.


    "Aren''t we here now?" Naruto responded shamelessly. "We ran into an olddy crossing the street, so..."


    "Let''s just go!" Shikamaru clearly didn''t believe a word he said, but there was nothing he could do about Naruto. He sighed and waved his hand, signaling everyone to move out.


    People grow up. Shikamaru,pared to the others present, wasn''t just distinguished by the extra green Chunin vest he wore. Now, he bore the weight of everyone¡¯s lives on his shoulders.


    Even someone aszy as him had to be serious and responsible when faced with sudden responsibilities. He had started to think and act like an adult.


    After leaving Konoha, the group became more solemn. It was, after all, a provisional A-Rank mission. Provisional A-Rank meant that it could escte to an S-Rank mission.


    Among the group, the highest mission levelpleted by most was A-Rank. The only team with S-Rank mission experience was Team 7, given that they had once pursued Gaara, the Ichibi¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    The eleven Shinobi moved swiftly. Team 8, which included Shino, Kiba, and Hinata, took the lead due to their proficiency in reconnaissance. Lee, Neji, and Tenten protected the nks of Team 8, clearing the way through the forest as needed.


    Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji from Team 10, which focused on interference, control, and strategy, stayed at the core of the formation. Team 7, being the main offense, took up the rear, with Naruto and Sakura hanging at the very back.


    Had Sasuke not defected, Team 7 would have been the true offensive core. But with one member missing, if a fight broke out, Naruto wouldn''t be able to cover everyone.


    That''s why he brought Kurama along.


    Currently, the situation was that if a battle did ensue, Kurama wouldn''t be able to cover everyone.


    With Sasuke gone but Kurama present, they might not be able to use his power lightly, but having him provided an additionalyer of security. So, overall, it was still worth it.


    "What exactly is going on?" Naruto askedzily to Shikamaru in front of him.


    Shikamaru looked back at him, with a look of tension and a rare seriousness on his face, "Gaara has lost control and has killed dozens of vigers. He¡¯s currently on the run."


    "You''re joking, right?" Naruto was stunned for a moment, looking at Shikamaru in disbelief, "Hasn''t Gaara already changed? How could he lose control?"


    "We don''t know." Shikamaru turned his head forward and continued moving, "That''s the report we got from the Anbu. Some of Sunagakure''s higher-ups are not happy with Gaara taking up the Kazekage¡¯s position."


    Naruto is not impressed by the so-called higher-ups. He used to think that Konoha''s higher-ups were idiots, but now it seemed that Sunagakure''s higher-ups weren''t any better.


    The Yondaime Kazekage had been isted and eventually killed by Orochimaru. Sunagakure''s higher-ups probably had their own ambitions regarding the Kazekage¡¯s position, and they weren''t exactly thrilled about Gaara, whom they viewed as a madman, inheriting the title.


    "Is there any more detailed information?" Naruto asked.


    "This time, we have to cross the border of the Land of Fire to intercept Gaara and his siblings. Sunagakure¡¯s higher-ups have already dispatched Shinobi to bring them back. Tsunade-sama¡¯s orders are to ensure their safety under Konoha''s protection." Shikamaru said.


    "Isn''t that Sunagakure''s internal affairs? What does it have to do with Konoha?" Naruto asked again.


    "Normally, it wouldn''t concern us. Konoha will never interfere in Sunagakure¡¯s internal affairs, but..." Shikamaru cleared his throat and suddenly smirked, as if he had scored a small victory.


    "Tsunade-sama said that the Sunagakure has signed an alliance agreement with Konoha. In addition, the eldest princess of the Sunagakure, representing the opinions of the vast majority of the higher-ups, has signed so many agreements with Konoha for joint protection of the Jinchuriki."


    "In simple terms, if Gaara''s life is threatened, Konoha is authorized to cross the Land of Fire¡¯s border and take Gaara under temporary protection."


    ¡°Signed so many agreements?¡±


    "Yes, it''s a thick stack, probably over a hundred pages." Shikamaru nodded.


    This time, it was Naruto''s turn to be dumbfounded, ¡®No wonder Konoha has always been so concerned about the affairs of the Sunagakure. It turned out that after the Konoha Crush, Temari stayed and signed so many agreements with Konoha.¡¯


    ¡®Perhaps they had already anticipated that Sunagakure would find someone to take the me for this stupid action, and if things went wrong, they would transfer their anger to Gaara.¡¯


    Gaara''s situation was somewhat simr to Naruto''s. If he couldn''t be the Kazekage, his future would be difficult. As the future Kazekage would inevitably treat the Jinchuriki as a mere weapon, to be manipted at will.


    Like a toy ced on a table, they''d bind him with the ties of friendship, or using with Temari and Kankuro¡¯s interests to threaten Gaara, forcing him into variouspromises.


    Naruto did remember the time when Temari signed those agreements. He originally thought that Temari and Shizune were only signing some unimportant documents, after all, even Tsunade was not present.


    But now that he thinks about it again, it doesn''t really matter whether Tsunade is present or not, as Shizune was essentially Tsunade''s spokesperson. It''s nothing more than a matter of representing her and stamping the documents for her.


    As for how Sunagakure would react, they''d first have to go through a lengthy dispute over those hundred-plus pages of agreements with Konoha. This would buy enough time to secure Gaara.


    By the time the agreements were sorted out, Gaara''s crisis would likely be resolved. Naruto knew this preemptive strategy was brilliant and definitely not something a simple-minded person like Temari could havee up with.


    "Killing dozens of people must be exhausting." Naruto suddenly said something seemingly random.


    "What?" Shikamaru snapped his head around to look at him.


    Naruto furrowed his brows and continued, "The Ichibi Shukaku is not very strong. And if he releases the Bijudama, it is impossible for the casualties to be just dozens."


    "Whether there''s something fishy or not isn''t our concern. Our mission is to rendezvous with Gaara and his siblings." Shikamaru said in a low voice. Perhaps he felt that some words were difficult to say, so he opened his mouth and swallowed the words back.


    Naruto noticed this, but didn''t take it to heart. The Biju¡¯s Jinchuriki has no human rights, it was truly tragic.

 Chapter 223 Similar to Tobirama?

    Chapter 223 Simr to Tobirama?


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    Naruto considered himself a pseudo-Jinchuriki now. He could draw on the Kyubi¡¯s power, but he couldn''t fully transform into a Kyubi anymore. The real Kyubi had already been extracted and was now hidden within a fat dog.


    Inparison, Gaara''s situation was much more unfortunate. However, under the rules of this Shinobi World, there''s no such thing as peaceful times. Even if Naruto had shed the Jinchurikibel from his body, his situation wouldn''t necessarily be much better than Gaara''s.


    A sword''s purpose doesn''t change just because it''s sheathed. Ultimately, Kyubi¡¯s power was still being wielded by Naruto. From the perspective of the higher-ups, it was essentially no different than when Kyubi was inside him.


    Naruto understood that his situation was simr to that of the prisoners in the Land of Snow, a story he had once read in a magazine. It¡¯s about a prison with no walls in the Land of Snow. If an inmate wanted to escape, they had to be prepared to die in the vast snowfields.


    A TV station once paid to encourage inmates to escape and broadcasted it live. Arge group set out, most dying in the snow, which boosted the station''s ratings. But one person seeded, and that person was celebrated as a hero. And the path they took became a holy path.


    People then turned to the remaining prisoners, calling them cowards. Saying that instead of living like livestock, why not pursue freedom!


    Freedom was wonderful! Even if it meant death! Someone had seeded; maybe they could too. So why not give it a shot!


    But the heroism they valued was someone else''s. When it is their turn, they''d remain silent.


    Others might not understand, but Naruto knew the situation very well. If he defected like Sasuke, he''d probably be caught within three days. Mainly because he had no reason to turn dark, as he had already outsmarted Danzo and Kurama. As for the wounds from his past life, what did they have to do with him, Naruto?


    He couldn''t just run off like a paranoid lunatic, forcing himself into bing a bitter, feral beast. If he donned the cloak of the Shinobi World¡¯s ancestor, he''d just be another Obito.


    Although he didn''t like Konoha, at least he had a high status in Konoha. As long as Danzo died, he could pretty much do as he pleased, so there was no need for him to run away at the moment.


    He is a normal person, not a madman, so of course he would choose whatever was most beneficial to him. Although staying in Konoha forever wasn''t an option, staying until adulthood was certainly feasible.


    By then, he could settle down in a small ce, living a mundane life as a retired warrior, getting married, and just enjoying the peace.


    Peace was far more interesting, as all that constant fighting and searching for the meaning of life wasn''t his style.


    He had it all nned out: take it easy, and then live a beautiful life in this Shinobi World.


    Before that, he''d just get by day to day. All in all, characters like Uchiha Madara, Obito, the Akatsuki, and the Otsutsuki n¡­ given the chance, he''d definitely eliminate them all.


    In fact, deep down, Naruto had a ruthless side. It wasn''t about heroism, it was a cold ruthlessness devoid of empathy. Tsunade had also mentioned this once.


    When Naruto turned dark, it gave Tsunade an eerily familiar feeling, which was ruthlessness strikingly simr to Tobirama¡¯s.


    ¡®Oh, you¡¯re pitiful. How touching. Kill.¡¯


    ¡®You''re innocent? How regrettable. Kill.¡¯


    ¡®What? You did nothing wrong, and it''s the world that''s at fault? Sure, sounds reasonable. Dig the hole deeper, kill, and bury.¡¯


    Naruto suddenly snapped out of his thoughts.


    Watching the team running ahead, he sighed inwardly. He still thought about how to act cool now, but if he ever faced the Akatsuki or the insane Obito, he''d likely end up running back to Konoha in disgrace.


    Like a primary school student who got beaten up by the older kids outside, he wouldin to Tsunade. He¡¯d also embellish the story, and it would be best if he could rally a squad to get revenge.


    Kuramay on Naruto''s shoulder, humming softly, craving some booze. He turned his head and noticed his human caretaker frowning one moment and grinning foolishly the next.


    It was not convenient for him to speak at this moment, so he swatted Naruto''s neck with his tail and shot him a disdainful nce. The meaning was clear: Did you take the wrong medicine? Why are you acting so crazy?


    Naruto felt a tickle on his neck and turned to see the smug expression on Kurama¡¯s eyes. Without a word, he grabbed him off his neck and dangled him in his hand.


    Kurama¡¯s eyes were full of fury, and his four short legs were iling wildly in the air.


    ¡®How dare he! This kid really deserves to die!''


    After traveling for a day and a night, the team finally stopped at the border of the Land of Fire. Before them stretched a long, narrow in that led westward to the Valley of the End.


    The in, resembling a long sock, shimmered with visible heat waves. Waist-high yellow grass obscured parts of the view, and the air above the in was so hot it almost seemed to warp.


    Kiba squatted on the highest branch of a tree at the forefront, fanning his neck while craning to survey the terrain ahead. Beyond this point, they would cross the border.


    Shino stood in the shade, hunched inside his coat, wearing his signature round, ck sunsses. He seemed to dislike the heat, staying in the shadows like an insect hiding from the sun.


    On his left arm, small ck insects crawled out of his body, lining up like ants. From his right sleeve, there was also a row of small ck bugsing out in rows.


    Maybe he was conducting reconnaissance or getting ustomed to the surroundings in advance.


    Neji had taken over Hinata¡¯s scouting duties, activating his Byakugan to peer across the in and further beyond. The rest of the people rested and sorted their equipment.


    Typically, a mission like this should be handled by more experienced Jonin. However, if a Jonin led the team, the nature of the mission would change entirely.


    Konoha opted to use team full of Genin to avoidplications, after all, they were just picking someone up at the Land of Fire''s border. No matter how bold the other side was, they wouldn''t dare to chase their targets into the Land of Fire.


    "We''ll wait here." Shikamaru said, "Whatever happened in Sunagakure is none of our concern. Our job is just to bring the target back to Konoha."


    "If the people from Sunagakure chase after us, don¡¯t get entangled. Dy them for a moment and then run."


    As he spoke, Shikamaru nced at Naruto, who was tossing a fat dog back and forth like a ything, unable to hide the concern on his face. Before they departed, he had asked Tsunade what to do if Gaara used his Biju Transformation.


    At that time, Tsunade said irresponsibly, "Let Uzumaki Naruto handle it. He¡¯ll figure something out."


    ¡®Can he really handle it?¡¯


    Shikamaru wasn¡¯t sure, so he couldn¡¯t help but worry. He knew what Naruto used to be like, though they hadn¡¯t interacted much since graduating from the Academy.


    It''s not that their rtionship had soured, it''s just that there''s a thick barrier between them. Everything felt normal when they talked, but it was too normal.


    It was as if the messy kid wearing goggles and running all over the vige had suddenly grown up overnight. He no longer mentioned Sakura, nor did he constantly shout about surpassing the Hokage and be the greatest Shinobi in the vige.


    He was still a bit of a loner, but when Shikamaru turned to look at Naruto, it felt like Naruto had touched the tombstone of his youth, and he seemed to have grown by a dozen years in an instant.


    It seemed as though he had buried the vibrant, shining boy he once was, only for another version of himself to crawl out of the grave soaked in rainwater.


    They called this growth, but Shikamaru didn¡¯t think so. It felt more like Naruto had be apletely different person. Other than his body and memories, his soul seemed to have changed.


    It was as if the muddy kid who always challenged everyone suddenly said, "I have a backer. Try touching me, and your house will be on fire tonight!"

 Chapter 224 The Reappearance of The Technique Which Caused Obito’s Suffering, The Root of All Evil

    Chapter 224 The Reappearance of The Technique Which Caused Obito¡¯s Suffering, The Root of All Evil


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    "Shikamaru, someone ising." Shino came over, but he¡¯s still standing within the sun-and-shade line, "There are a lot of people, groups from both the front and the back. They¡¯re likely our mission targets."


    "About five kilometers away in the valley, it''s them. The pursuers are very close." Neji''s voice rang out, "Should we go and supportthem? Or should we continue to wait here?"


    "There''s sound of fighting!" Kiba leapt down from the tree. His hearing was hundreds of times better than the average person¡¯s. "It''s toote. They''ve already engaged."


    There are many interpretations of ¡®toote¡¯. What Kiba meant wasn''t that it was toote to support, but that there was no time to hesitate. If they didn''t go now, it would truly be toote.


    "Move out." Shikamaru decided decisively.


    "Understood." Kiba immediately rushed out with a happy expression on his face. Behind him was Shino who was controlling the Kikaichu. He needed to make arrangements as soon as possible in order to better cover their retreat.


    Lee, Neji, and Tenten moved in sync, nking from another direction to ensure there were no ambushes ahead. Team 10 followed, with the three squads forming a triangr formation, slicing through the wind like hawks as they raced toward the valley five kilometers away.


    Naruto stayed at the rear, with Sakura quietly following.


    He nced at Sakura, not sensing anything amiss, but thetter turned her head to look at him.


    "Can you keep up?" He asked awkwardly.


    "Um."


    Temari was a little flustered, with blood smeared on her face.


    It took Gaara a year to finally gain the trust of most of the higher-ups. However, there were still some who were unwilling to acknowledge him, let alone ept his nomination as Kazekage.


    Their teacher suggested using this opportunity to eliminate those dissenting higher-ups, after all, once Gaara took office, these issues would need addressing sooner orter.


    After careful consideration, Temari agreed, but she didn''t expect the opposition to retaliate so quickly. They captured Gaara''s new disciple, forcing him into using Biju Transformation.


    Thirty-four lives were lost overnight, and all the me fell on Gaara. All the evidence pointed against him. Some of the higher-ups even began to waver again.


    Gaara wanted to prove his innocence, but their teacher, Baki, urged the siblings to leave Sunagakure for now. After all, thirty-four vigers'' lives weren''t something that could be exined away easily.


    When Gaara was a child, he also lost control at times, but back then, the incidents were downyed with the consent of the higher-ups. After all, the Jinchuriki was still young and couldn''t fully suppress the Biju.


    But now, things were spiraling out of her control. Both Gaara and Kankuro had even been injured in the ensuing battles.


    ¡®What should we do?¡¯


    "Temari, they''re catching up." Kankuro said while hurrying along. "How far are we from the rendezvous point with Konoha?"


    "Very close! Just hold on a bit longer." Temari, supporting the weakened Gaara, said through gritted teeth, "The Shinobi from Konoha should have arrived by now. We''ll be safe soon."


    "Konoha''s Shinobi¡­" Kankuro raised his head. "It''s all because of that damn Uchiha Sasuke for breaking my puppet. It''s been a year, and I still haven''t found a suitable recement."


    "When I see himter, I''ll have to fight him again."


    "Uchiha Sasuke has defected and is no longer a Konoha''s Shinobi." Temari said, ncing back. She was very anxious now and needed to keep talking to calm herself down.


    "Is that so?" Kankuro¡¯s voice trembled as well. The sound of shuriken cutting through the air came from behind, and he tilted his head to dodge the sharp des. "Even so, next time we meet, I''ll still kill that bastard."


    Several figures swiftlynded in front of the three siblings, blocking their path. About thirty Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi stood on both sides of the tall valley.


    Under the zing sun at the top of the valley, the Chunin in tan vests stopped them. Three Jonin stepped forward from the front and rear of the group,pletely cutting off the siblings¡¯ escape routes.


    The Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi wore forehead protectors with the vige''s symbol and had white sand-proof cloth strips hanging from their ears. Facing the imminent danger of a Biju awakening and rampaging, their expressions were solemn.


    "The Jinchuriki still hasn¡¯t woken up, it seems?" One of the Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin asked, feigning indifference. His skin was dark, his cheeks sunken, making him resemble a weathered brown shoehorn.


    "Maybe he''s injured. Probably because he lost control and hurt himself." Another Jonin, short in stature,mented with a sneer on his face.


    "You should stop right there." A female Jonin, looking down at the three siblings trapped in the valley, continued. "Just ahead is the Land of Wind¡¯s border. Are you nning to defect with the Jinchuriki?"


    "Stop calling him a Jinchuriki. He is my brother." Temari said darkly, drawing her three-star fan from behind her. She gripped it tightly, revealing all three stars on the fan.


    "Framing people¡­ now that''s something you guys excel at!" Kankuro took out his puppet from his back. He didn''t seem entirely satisfied with it, but still removed the bandages from the puppet.


    "Four more children disappearedst night, which coincided with the time when Gaara disappeared." The female Jonin said, her expression also dark, "For all we know, he could have devoured them."


    "How can such a monster be worthy of being a Kazekage?"


    "You are talking nonsense!" Temari shouted through gritted teeth, "Gaara would never do something like that! You use him without even needing evidence! Are you just going to spout lies without any proof?"


    "Evidence?" The brown-faced Jonin sneered, "The situation is already obvious, what more evidence do we need? If anything, it should be that monster providing proof of his innocence."


    "Who knows how many kids he¡¯s actually devoured. Even if his actions were due to losing control, he should still be monitored by the vige."


    "Shut up!" Temari roared, swinging her fan to unleash a violent gust of wind.


    With a deafening boom, one side of the valley exploded, rocks crashing down in andslide. In that instant, Temari''s pupils widened as she sensed something amiss.


    There was no reason why three Jonin to consistently fail to catch up to them. The only exnation was that they were doing it on purpose, deliberately herding Temari and Kankuro into this valley.


    "You weren¡¯t nning to take us back at all!" Temari red furiously at the Jonin nking both sides of the valley, "Damn it, you''re here to silence us!"


    "Oh? Finally figured it out, huh?"


    "Seems like the esteemed princess is a bit slow, but no matter. Soon enough, you won¡¯t be the princess anymore." The short Jonin, who looked like a mole, said mockingly.


    "There are Konoha¡¯s Shinobi waiting for you ahead, right?" The female Jonin said coldly, "You didn¡¯t even notice the information leak. How naive can you be?"


    "What?"


    "Why waste words on them? Let¡¯s finish this. Their deaths can be med on Konoha." The tall, brown-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin threw the shuriken.


    Realizing there was no point in further talking, Temari swiftly smeared her blood on the fan''s surface and summoned Kamatari.


    With a sweep of her fan, a fierce wind surged forward, directly striking the sides of the valley. Kamatari¡¯s cutting winds screeched through the air, withyers of explosive sounds that deflected the barrage of shuriken.


    "Earth Release: Rock Copse!"


    In unison, the Sunagakure¡¯s Chunin and Jonin cast Rock Copse. It is a B-Rank Ninjutsu effective at all ranges, mainly used to triggerndslides.


    This is the favorite Ninjutsu of the Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi, and it is also the Ninjutsu that caused all the evil that Obito suffered.


    Most of the time, Iwagakure¡¯s Shinobi would lure enemies into caves and used Rock Copse to bury their opponents alive.


    Sunagakure had learned the technique during the war, but due to theck of caves, it gradually became a useless Ninjutsu. However, the valley before them presented an ideal burial ground.

 Chapter 225 Great Burial, Good Brother!

    Chapter 225 Great Burial, Good Brother!


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    The valley shook violently on both sides, leaving Temari and Kankuro stunned as they watched the rock walls copse and the stones tumble down.


    "Run!" Temari was the first to react and shouted at Kankuro.


    Each of them grabbed Gaara, who was still unconscious, and jumped at the very moment the rocks started falling. They needed to escape the valley before being buried alive, or else all their skills would be in vain.


    However, the falling rocks only increased in number, and under the Chakra of the three Jonin, the entire valley began copsing rapidly.


    Temari looked up, and upon seeing the sky filled with falling rocks and massive chunks of earth, her expression turned to despair.


    In the face of life and death, the whole world before her seemed to be crystal clear, with all surrounding sounds amplified infinitely. The heart pounded, and blood surged through the veins.


    ¡®This might be the end. Even if Konoha''s Shinobi arrived, they would likely only be able to dig our bodies out of the rubble.¡¯


    "What''s that noise?" Kiba abruptly stopped. His instinct is warning him that there was danger ahead!


    "Not good! The valley up ahead is copsing." Veins bulged around Neji''s eyes. "Our targets are in the valley, surrounded by Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi. They¡¯re trying to bury the three of them alive!"


    "We can¡¯t make it!" Hinata also activated her Byakugan, her small face filled with shock.


    "The valley''s already copsing, we can''t get them out." Shino continued running forward, but his words indicated that he was ready to give up, and he¡¯s just waiting for Shikamaru¡¯s decision.


    Lee had charged ahead. If anyone had to take the risk to go in and save people, he would be the most suitable person.


    Everyone looked at Shikamaru as time ticked away, each second feeling like an eternity. It was as if a tortoise was crawling across the clock face.


    The team with triangr formation continued to advance rapidly toward the valley.


    Bit by bit, the valley appeared before them, only to crumble piece by piece. Even from a few kilometers away, they could feel the ground shaking, the danger ahead visible to the naked eye.


    Shikamaru gritted his teeth, unwilling to let the mission end in failure. He clenched his fists as he looked at the valley in front of him, which was falling apart like a brittle ice cream cone.


    "Everyone, stop!" He shouted, "We¡¯ll circle around and check it out from a different angle!"


    Upon hearing thismand, Lee immediately halted. The others did the same,ing to a stop after a few more steps. At this point, there was no other choice.


    When Sasuke defected, they did not receive support from Sunagakure, because Sasuke and Naruto had previously broken all of the weapons of the Sunagakure¡¯s siblings.


    Because of that incident, the Konoha Twelve had never truly interacted with the Sunagakure¡¯s siblings. To them, they were merely the mission¡¯s objectives.


    It would be best if they canplete the mission, but if they can''t, it''s not worth risking their life.


    The valley copsed. First, it was toote in time. Second, this was beyond the scope of any ordinary Ninjutsu to fix. Moreover, they were just Genin, not magical beings from a wishing well who could conjure miracles with a sh of golden light.


    If someone were to look down from above, they would see that the valley resembled a certain shape, it was almost like spotting Marilyn Monroe on a map.


    The narrow valley continued to crumble, with dust clouds rising tens of meters into the air. The sun watched silently from above.


    "I have a solution!"


    A figure dashed forward, passing the others, shouting indistinctly as he elerated toward the half-copsed valley. Shikamaru¡¯s pupils widened, his heart instantly leaping into his throat.


    "Naruto, get back here!"


    ¡®This was bad. Failing the mission was one thing, but losing Naruto would be disastrous! The enemy clearly had a n, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have chosen this specific location or timed their Ninjutsu so perfectly.;


    ¡®The mission n might have already been leaked, and the enemy could have included all of us in their calctions. The best course of action now was to observe and retreat at the first sign of trouble.¡¯


    "Shikamaru, stop him!" Neji¡¯s urgent voice cut through, "There are at least three Jonin on the other side, stop him quickly! Don''t let him go!"


    ¡®You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡¯ Neji nearly shouted thosest words.


    ¡®Did it really take three Jonin to chase down a few Genin? And they just so happened to block their path in front of them? The whole thing reeked of conspiracy.¡¯


    Sunagakure''s interception clearly meant they had received intel about Konoha sending teamposed of Genin to rendezvous with the siblings, and they had nned this all along, turning it into a burial spectacle.


    It''s obvious even to a fool what Sunagakure intends. They want to pin this on Konoha to divert internal conflict!


    Now the situation is almost over. Either they stop the copse or they leave quickly and pretend they have never been here.


    Under the bright sunlight, Shikamaru felt a chill deep in his heart at this moment, ¡®Sunagakure''s tactics were utterly shameless.¡¯


    ¡®Sunagakure is really born of wretched bastards!¡¯


    ¡®If the targets died in the valley, right in front of them, and the culprits dragged us out afterward, it would be undeniable evidence of guilt!¡¯


    "Damn it! Naruto, stop!" Shikamaru roared, his hands forming seals even before the words left his throat.


    His shadow, like a thin line, shot out behind Naruto, rapidly extending. He had to stop him. If they didn¡¯t turn back now, they wouldn¡¯t make it!


    As for the other option, Shikamaru didn''t even consider it.


    Rescue them? Is that even possible? The valley had already crumbled that much, and even if Naruto made it in time, he¡¯d still be one step toote, unless he could teleport them out.


    Otherwise, not only would there be no chance of survival, but Konoha would also fall into Sunagakure''s trap!


    Seeing the shadow couldn¡¯t keep up, Shikamaru took a deep breath, then turned his head to shout.


    "Ino!"


    Ino understood what he meant immediately. Her hands quickly formed hand seal, then she used the Mind Body Switch Technique toward the sprinting Naruto. She aimed to take control of Naruto¡¯s body to stop him from going further.


    Her fingers flew, and as the Ninjutsu took effect, Ino¡¯s spirit entered Naruto¡¯s body. She intended to take over, but instead found herself in a vast space.


    Unlike all the souls she had encountered before, Naruto¡¯s interior wasn¡¯t a realm of darkness with a weak, shrunken soul hiding in a corner.


    Instead, it was a forest of withered bones, rivers of blood, and a colossal shadow standing like a mountain. It touched the sky, and its eyes shone like massive stars.


    At that moment, Ino was shocked to her core and her Mind Body Switch Technique was gently pushed out.


    She had failed.


    Ino¡¯s whole body trembled and her eyes were dazed, but she was not hit by the bacsh of her Ninjutsu.


    Naruto noticed Ino''s Ninjutsu, but he had no time to dwell on it, nor did he know what she had seen. With a casual, light push, he ejected her from his mind.


    He had always known his soul was a bit stronger than others, enough to grapple with someone like Kato Dan bare-handed, but he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it.


    After all, besides Orochimaru, who has a fondness for tinkering with souls, it seemed most in the Shinobi World who dabbled in soul had already met their end. So, it hadn¡¯t concerned him much.


    Initially, he wasn¡¯t keen on saving the Sunagakure¡¯s siblings, nning to stay on the sidelines, but then the system pinged annoyingly once again.


    Without a second thought, not even ncing at the options, he rushed out to save them. After all, if the siblings didn¡¯t make it, then there would be nothing left to say, no choice to make.


    Outside the valley, Naruto leapt high into the air, pping his hands to activate a technique.


    [Kurosuki Raiga¡¯s Funeral!]


    A group of figures dressed in ck robes appeared in the center of the valley, their wailing mournful cries piercing the air. Ignoring all physical obstacles, they swiftly ced the Sunagakure¡¯s siblings into white coffins without hesitation.


    The massive sand and rocks passed through the funeral procession, their cries undeterred. They lifted the white coffins, unbothered by the falling debris, their forms phasing through the colossal chunks, burying them underground.


    Seeing this, Naruto was filled with excitement, clenching his fist and shouting!


    "Whoo-hoo! Kurosuki Raiga, you¡¯re godly!"


    Temari was stunned, and Kankuro, in a critical moment, had summoned his puppet to shield the three from a falling boulder. But with three more boulders descending, Temari¡¯s energy was also depleted.


    In their moment of despair, the three were suddenly enclosed within coffins, plunging them into darkness.


    Hearing the continuous rumble of falling rocks, Kankuro initially struggled, but upon realizing they were unharmed, he immediately calmed down.


    ¡®Creepy! This is too creepy!¡¯ Kankuro thought to himself, ¡®Were they really mourning us? Who''s the idiot that buried us?¡¯


    ¡®But hey, great burial, good brother!¡¯

 Chapter 226 Instant Kill

    Chapter 226 Instant Kill


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    The three Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin and a group of Chunin were stunned, ¡®What the heck just popped out and buried the targets like that?¡¯


    The thick dust in the air obscured their vision, but the sight of ck-robed mourners carrying white coffins was too eye-catching to ignore. They appeared suddenly, buried the targets, and vanished.


    "They''re not dead?"


    "Those brats from Konoha are here!"


    "We are in the territory of the Land of Wind. We just need to repel them and continue the mission!" The female Jonin shouted. At this point, they could only forcefullyplete their mission.


    But this was not something that could be publicized. Unless absolutely necessary, it was best not to stir up further trouble.


    The female Jonin quickly formed hand seals andunched a sharp Wind Release attack at Naruto. Naruto didn¡¯t even blink, and just jumped back three times to dodge the Wind Ninjutsu.


    "That brat..." The female Jonin''s expression grew serious, and then she began to quickly form hand seals again.


    The other two Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin also rushed towards Naruto, with over twenty Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi following closely behind. Their goal was to repel the Konoha¡¯s Genin Team.


    The best course of action would be to seriously injure or kill one or two of the Genin, forcing their retreat. And if Konoha pursued the matterter, they can just say that it¡¯s Konoha who trespassed into the Land of Wind first.


    "Capture that brat! He¡¯s the one who ruined our n!" The short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin shouted, "Make him undo that thing, then cripple him!"


    The bowl-faced, brown-skinned Jonin finished his hand seals and pped the ground, causing it to sink. A mound of earth erupted from below, advancing toward Naruto.


    Naruto deftly retreated, not forcing a confrontation with the Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi. ¡®Kurosuki Raiga¡¯s Funeral¡¯ was a rule-based technique, meaning that the three siblings wouldn¡¯t die anytime soon.


    ¡®At worst, they might suffer from ack of oxygen, but that was still better than being crushed to death by falling rocks.¡¯


    Before he even looked at the options that popped up in the system, he had already taken the life and death of the three Sunagakure¡¯s siblings into his own hands, effectively breaking the one-sided me game the Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi were trying to y.


    In this situation, anyone could see that Konoha¡¯s intel had been leaked long ago. Naruto didn¡¯t know who had leaked the n, but that didn¡¯t stop him from pinning the me on Danzo for now.


    ¡®That old thief Danzo, you really deserve to die!¡¯


    "Konoha Whirlwind!" "Revolving Heaven!" "Twin Rising Dragon!"


    Team 3 nked from the side, moving faster than the other two Genin Teams with greater coordination. When they saw Naruto retreating continuously, they rushed forward to cover him


    This is the tacit understanding that Naruto and Team 3 have developed through long-term missions and battles, allowing for alternating offensive tactics. The three briefly shed with the charging Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi, buying Naruto a moment to catch his breath.


    To the Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi, it seemed like they lost sight of Naruto the instant Team 3 blocked them with their techniques. Lee kicked a Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi away and immediately retreated, not lingering in the fight.


    Tenten used a long-range attack, and stopped immediately after the attack. Neji used Revolving Heaven to send two Shinobi flying before promptly withdrawing, engaging only briefly.


    They weren¡¯t a match for the Jonin unless they risked their lives, and even then, it would be a tough battle. Moreover, they were well aware that the main attacker for Team 3 was someone else.


    "Lava Release!"


    In that instant, Naruto leaped high into the air, his hand glowing molten red, as if gripping scalding magma. His eyes were cold as he charged straight at the short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin.


    The short Jonin was initially startled but then smirked. He had the advantage in height, making it difficult to be locked onto. As long as he moved flexibly, even if the one on the other side is Jonin, they would find it hard to harm him easily.


    Watching Naruto descend from above, the short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin began forming hand seals.


    Meanwhile, the female Jonin, eyeing the still-lingering dust, instinctively sensed something was off. They clearly had the upper hand, facing just a group of Genin, yet the sudden silence made her uneasy.


    Suddenly, a kunai soared through the air, moving at a speed so slow it seemed like a panicked rookie on the battlefield had thrown it with eyes shut.


    There is no uracy, speed or power. It can be imagined what a loser the thrower of this kunai is.


    ¡®His steps are loose and his reactions are slow, he¡¯spletely a rookie.¡¯


    The female Jonin¡¯s gaze grew dim, and she mocked herself internally for being overly sensitive. Missions kept her mind perpetually tense, and now she found herself wary even of mere group of Genin.


    The kunai approached her, but the female Jonin didn¡¯t feel like moving, as she could dodge the attack by just tilting her head slightly.


    Meanwhile, the short Jonin bent down, obscuring the enemy¡¯s line of sight, and swiftly sidestepped, a whirlwind of wind des surging from his hands.


    The countless wind des screeched as they headed straight for Naruto, who had missed his mark.


    "Go to hell! You little brat!" The short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin snarled, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face. He was all too familiar with this scene. In the next moment, he expected to see the terrified eyes of his opponent.


    In another second, half of his opponent¡¯s body would be torn apart like shredded cotton soaked in blood. It will be a gruesome sight rivaling a pig being crushed by a grinder.


    However, as the wind des were about to pierce the enemy¡¯s body, he showed no trace of fear. Instead, Naruto smiled at him.


    ¡®What the¡­¡¯ The short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin thought, gritting his teeth. Not seeing the fear in his opponent¡¯s eyes before death left him annoyed, ¡®If he wasn¡¯t scared, then let him die.¡¯


    Naruto was not in a hurry, and his smile was full of naked contempt. He was so close to the short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin that it was almost face-to-face mockery, as ifughing at his height.


    Even though he didn''t say anything, even though his attack missed, even while facing imminent impalement by the Jonin¡¯s wind des, Naruto¡¯s eyes habitually showed disdain, his face full of scorn.


    However, Naruto¡¯s figure suddenly vanished into thin air, and the sharp wind des struck nothing but empty space. Feeling no feedback from his attack, the short Jonin stunned for a split second.


    At that moment, as the female Jonin tilted her head to avoid the kunai, something suddenly appeared next to theckluster kunai, erupting with the glow of Lava Release. The scorching moltenva mmed directly onto the female Jonin¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ah!!!---" Her scream was abruptly cut off as her mouth and vocal cords were incinerated.


    Almost in the blink of an eye, the Sunagakure¡¯s female Jonin met her demise. From the moment Team 3 arrived for support to Naruto¡¯s counterattack, less than thirty seconds had passed.


    It was clear that the person Naruto pounced on just now was a short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin, but in the next instant, he appeared in front of the Sunagakure¡¯s female Jonin, delivering a fatal blow.


    With a swift maneuver, Naruto managed to deal a devastating blow, practically reducing the female Jonin to ashes. She copsed to the ground with a thud, lifeless and disfigured.

 Chapter 227 Do You Know What Yellow Flash Means?

    Chapter 227 Do You Know What Yellow sh Means?


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    The moment the female Jonin¡¯s body fell to the ground, Team 10 and Team 8 had also arrived. The two Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin were dumbfounded and stopped with the group of Chunin and Genin. The two sides faced each other like this.


    The three Sunagakure¡¯s siblings were still buried underground in the valley. If this dragged on, they¡¯d likely die from suffocation.


    "She¡¯s dead?" Shikamaru was also surprised. Team 10 had never done any missions with Naruto, so he didn''t know that Naruto had this kind of skill.


    Choji narrowed his eyes and looked serious. As for Team 3, Lee, Neji, and Tenten, they were unfazed. They had seen Naruto use this tactic before when they were on missions. It was the ssic feint that never failed.


    Sometimes it was a Rasengan in his hand, sometimes Lava Release, but it always worked wonders.


    The female Jonin from Sunagakure failed due to ack of information and underestimating her opponent. Now, the once lively female Jonin is now lying there in a disfigured state.


    Ino wasn¡¯t too surprised by this either. She had long known Naruto was much stronger than the average Genin. Otherwise, she and Naruto would have died during that encounter with Itachi.


    It is said that one should look at a man with new eyes after three days of absence. It has been almost a year since the Itachi incident, so it is not surprising that Naruto''s strength has grown rapidly.


    Naruto was much stronger than her¡ªstronger than most people, in fact. This is a fact that Ino had long been aware of.


    But in their usual interactions, his perpetuallyzy demeanor made it easy to forget this. Ino had even automatically overlooked these things, seeing Naruto just as Naruto, not as a Jinchuriki of a Biju.


    But to say she was unaffected would be a lie. After all, seeing a Genin who usually stood before her in such a casual, unserious manner suddenly kill a Jonin on the spot¡­ it was jarring.


    It felt like getting used to a goofy scoundrel, only to suddenly see him wielding a knife to y a monster. It was unsettling.


    Still, Ino had to force herself to confront this side of Naruto, because that was theplete him. The one who would hand out flowers was him, and so was the monster who could kill and set things aze.


    ¡®The most important thing now is toplete the mission and bring the three Sunagakure¡¯s siblings back.¡¯ Ino shook her head and was ready to use her Ninjutsu at any time.


    Sakura stood in the distance and watched quietly, her eyes staring at the valley in the distance. She was contemting the feasibility ofpleting their mission, as they had already entered the territory of the Land of Wind.


    As a Medical-nin, her primary duty wasn''t fighting but healing her teammates and ensuring survival.


    "Are they still alive?" Shino asked. His Kikaichu slowly circled around the Sunagakure¡¯s group and flew into the valley.


    "They''re underground in the valley, still alive." Hinata said, her Byakugan active as Chakra flowed to her eyes, "They''re in coffins. We''ll have to remove the fallen rocks and dig them out."


    "That''s too difficult." Kiba muttered quietly, "The whole valley has copsed. How do we even dig them out?"


    "Maybe Naruto has a way, after all, it¡¯s his Ninjutsu." Shino said.


    "I''ve never seen a Ninjutsu like that. It''s too..." Kiba trailed off, a bit speechless, ¡°It could be a Space-Time Ninjutsu. Anyway, where did he even learn something like that?"


    Hinata nced at Naruto from the corner of her eye, her cheeks slightly reddened.


    Naruto, standing at the forefront, had no time to care about anything else. He was currently engaged in a verbal duel with the two Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin.


    "What¡¯s the meaning of this, Konoha Shinobi? This is within the territory of our Land of Wind." The short Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin fumed, frustrated that Naruto had not only escaped his grasp, but also taken down one of his teammates.


    "What nonsense are you spouting? I don''t understand a word, you shorty." Naruto said in a roguish manner, "What do you mean your Land of Wind? This area is a gray zone. I was just passing by and got ambushed by you."


    "If this isn¡¯t settled, I¡¯m going to start fighting."


    Threats, a tant, naked threat.


    "Nonsense! You trespassed into our territory in the Land of Wind! Open your eyes and take a good look at where you are?" The short Jonin was nearly shouting, his frustration evident.


    The brown-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin said nothing. His eyes looked over the Konoha¡¯s Genin with a cold gleam in his eyes.


    "What¡¯s the rush? Why are you so worked up?" Naruto¡¯s face darkened. Without even needing Shikamaru¡¯s guidance, he took control of the negotiation naturally, "Since our opinions differ, why don¡¯t we kill a few more?!"


    "Brat, do you think you can win?" The brown-faced Sand Jonin with a t, shovel-like face drew the short sword from his back, ring coldly at Naruto as murderous intent radiated from him.


    At his words, the tension between the two sides escted instantly.


    "Naruto, don''t be impulsive." Shikamaru urged, trying to think moreprehensively, with more considerations in mind. "Let''s first..."


    Mid-sentence, Shikamaru stopped abruptly as he saw Naruto untie his forehead protector and toss it to the ground. His golden hair fell loose. He then looked at Shikamaru solemnly and said, "I am no longer a Konoha¡¯s Shinobi."


    Thick, swirling Biju Chakra surrounded him, and his blue eyes are filled with determination, "No one can give in unless one side suffers massive losses."


    "Naruto, you..." Shikamaru stared at the discarded forehead protector in a daze for a long while. He had never seen Naruto act like this before.


    "Tsunade-sama said that no matter what I do, she¡¯ll cover for me." Naruto pulled out a dozen disposable Flying Thunder God kunai that he had prepared. His gaze locked on the thirty or so Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi ahead, and he lowered his voice, "We don¡¯t have time. When the fight breaks out, you should focus on ensuring none of them escape."


    "Even so, this is pushing it too far." Shikamaru had already begun topromise, with cold sweat forming on his forehead. He didn¡¯t want to resolve this by such extreme measures.


    "Damn, that can''t be..." The brown-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin with the shovel-shaped face stared at Naruto¡¯s golden hair, his pupils widening as if recalling something.


    "What is it?" The short Jonin nced sideways at hispanion, but kept most of his attention on Naruto, watching as Naruto pulled out a pile of kunai.


    "It¡¯s that technique!" The brown-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin gulped audibly, "Kunai, blond hair, that monster¡­ Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be dead? The Yellow sh of Konoha."


    Konoha had two famous color-coded Shinobi. The White Fang, which sword cut through everything, and the Yellow sh, which was faster than lightning.


    "What Yellow sh? What nonsense are you talking about!" The short Jonin grumbled impatiently, "I don¡¯t get it. Can¡¯t you just speak inly?"


    The brown-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin said no more, blinking rapidly as the image of the boy before him ovepped with the figure he once saw on the battlefield.


    ¡®This was crazy.¡¯ Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, ¡®Could such an absurd situation really happen? It had to be a coincidence! That Ninjutsu couldn¡¯t be replicated.¡¯


    ¡®Unless¡­ unless¡­¡¯


    Naruto threw out the more than a dozen kunai, and the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra burned slowly. He could no longer use Biju Transformation, and if he was injured, it would take longer for him to heal.


    ¡®But even so, if it was just to take down these Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi¡­¡¯ Naruto raised his eyes.


    "Watch out for those kunai!" The brown-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin¡¯s pupils widened as he shouted.


    However, it was already toote.


    These people had no idea what the true significance of the Yellow sh meant.

 Chapter 228 There’s Always Someone Who Can Handle Him, But What If There’s More Than One?

    Chapter 228 There¡¯s Always Someone Who Can Handle Him, But What If There¡¯s More Than One?


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    The Yellow sh reappeared as Naruto instantly activated the Flying Thunder God Technique. Because of the words of the Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin, everyone''s eyes were fixed on the flying kunai.


    But at the next moment, Naruto teleported directly to behind the short Jonin.


    His objectives were always clear: kill the female Jonin first, then the short one. Just now, he was not stalling for show, but was waiting for someone to say ¡®watch out for those kunai".


    Watch out for those kunai? The Flying Thunder God¡¯s imprint doesn''t have to be on kunai alone. It can be ced on anything, even grass, trees, or people.


    Narutomented that the Land of Snow¡¯s mission had not been restarted yet and he had not received the reward for theplete Flying Thunder God. Otherwise, he would not have to go through so much trouble to calcte back and forth like this.


    Given the strength of the Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin, the Konoha Genin collectively wouldn''t stand a chance. But Naruto was still ssified as a Genin only because he couldn''t pass the Chunin Exams.


    The Kyubi¡¯s Chakra granted him a triple-speed burst. In the instant he teleported behind the short Jonin, that Jonin''s eyes were still glued to the kunai scattering in the air.


    The moment he caught sight of the blonde hair, a chill ran down his spine.


    Naruto gathered a Rasengan with one hand. This is a Ninjutsu that couldpletely destroying a target¡¯s bodily functions, like a spiraling machine whose harmless appearance belies its destructive power.


    As he swiftly pressed the chakra orb forward, the fiery red Kyubi¡¯s Chakra exploded, creating a spiral-twisted, horrifying blood hole in the short Jonin¡¯s chest.


    Naruto, moving at an impossible speed, destroyed the heart of the short Jonin, then instantly turned and appeared behind another Chunin.


    He shed through the battlefield, drawing the Kusanagi Sword, and in an instant, blood sprayed among the Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi. Naruto swung the sword with one hand, seemingly without a pattern, shing as he moved.


    With a dozen or so one-time-use Flying Thunder God Kunai, he could only teleport a dozen times. The sword pierced through the throat of a Sunagakure¡¯s Chunin, and in the moment he pulled it out, he vanished again.


    The teleportation happened in a blink, and within a few seconds, the dozen teleports wereplete.


    The Kusanagi Sword was used like a butcher''s knife, cutting through the blood mist and slicing the necks of the Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi one after another. The browned-faced Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin was now paralyzed from fear, as the situation was reversed in an instant.


    In a blink of an eye, only seven or eight people were left out of team with more than 30 people. The short Joniny on the ground in agony. There was no Medical-nin to relieve his pain. There was also a hole as big as a watermelon in his chest. It can be seen that he was already beyond saving.


    "You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!!! Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be dead?" Thest Sunagakure¡¯s Jonin muttered, his face turned pale in an instant, and his lips trembled slightly.


    It was a foolproof n, but it ended up failing.


    In the rear, the members of Team 10 and Team 8 were dead silent. It wasn''t that they enjoyed watching, but they simply couldn''t intervene. After all, this was already beyond the capacity of Genin.


    Shikamaru wanted to use his strategic thinking, but it seemed his mind couldn''t keep up with the sheer muscle force on disy.


    Neji nced at them without saying a word, his expression calm as usual. Shikamaru nced at the members of Team 3 and his face twitched slightly. He then asked in a low voice, "Hey¡­ Why do you guys look like you''re used to this?"


    "Do a few missions with that guy, and you''ll get used to it too. Where do you think his 100% missionpletion ratees from?" Neji recalled some less-than-pleasant memories, and his face looked a little grim.


    "The only purpose of teaming up with that scoundrel might be just one thing: To prevent him from identally killing the client along with everyone else."


    Neji turned his head and stared at Shikamaru gloomily. His serious expression,bined with what he was saying at the moment, created an awkward contrast in the daylight.


    "Don''t ask."


    Naruto was not stupid. There were three Jonin on the other side, and he couldn''t possibly deal with all three at the same time. Besides, if he got held up, the others could be in danger.


    On the other side, Temari and her brothers were still buried under the valley. Before releasing the technique, they needed to be dug out quickly. Otherwise, once the technique was undone, the siblings would be crushed by tons of soil.


    Naruto, with the sword hilt stained with blood, casually nted it into the ground as the Konoha¡¯s Genin swarmed forward.


    "Damn it! Why did you bury them so deep?" Kiba threw his shovel aside, immediately grabbing Akamaru to perform the Fang Passing Fang technique, drilling a big hole in the ground.


    The Sunagakure¡¯s Shinobi had already beenpletely dealt with, with corpsesy scattered outside the valley. The Konoha¡¯s Genin stood on enemy territory, trying every method they could think of to dig their targets out of the copsed valley.


    "How was I supposed to know?" Naruto also tossed his shovel to the side.


    Kurama was lyingzily on a tall rock sunbathing with a bottle of sake in its arms. He had seen the entire battle just now, and his evaluation was only three words: shy but useless.


    ¡®If it were up to me, a single Bijudama would have sufficed. Hmph, not that I would ever lift a paw unless that kid offered it a hundred bottles of top-shelf booze. Only then might I consider it.¡¯


    "Dig properly! Our mission target is down there." Shikamaru said, sweating under the scorching sun. He had taken off his jacket, revealing a mesh long sleeve underneath, with the usual dead fish eyes.


    Holding a shovel, Shikamaru looked like an old farmer. He shaded his eyes to nce at the sky, "Hurry up, the people in those coffins are probably running out of air."


    "This is also a form of training!" Lee shouted as he moved arge boulder aside, throwing it away with a roar, panting and wiping his sweat.


    Everyone was covered in dust and dirt. Just a moment ago, they had been fighting for their lives, and now each had a shovel, digging people out. They all tacitly kept quiet about what had just happened. Even though they knew Naruto was different from them, it didn''t matter.


    A monster is still a monster, but hadn''t vigers mentioned that before? Just act like you didn''t hear it. After all, even monsters don''t have to hide alone in the dark, and they can have friends too.


    "There''s definitely something wrong with your technique!" Kiba, Naruto''s number one critic, couldn''t resistining between shoveling, "If you can bury people, why can''t you get them out?"


    "Why are you talking so much nonsense? Just dig it yourself." Naruto pretended to leave.


    He looked up and saw Kurama, that dumb fox, lying on the rock in a strangely elegant pose, basking in the sun, with one leg raised up and staring at him, who was digging the soil with sweat dripping down his face.


    In the bright sunlight, Naruto could clearly see the teasing grin on Kurama''s face.


    ¡®Tsk, that stupid dog is gloating, just wait.¡¯


    Naruto rolled up his sleeves and was about to drag Kurama down to help dig. Kiba, who was standing beside him, thought that Naruto really didn''t want to dig it anymore, so he immediately called out to him, ¡°Hey, where are you going? Keep digging."


    Shikamaru also turned towards Naruto and said with a sigh, "Cut it out, guys. If we dy any longer, the mission target will really die."


    "I''m done." Naruto grumbled sullenly. He was determined to pull Kyubi down to dig.


    "Hinata!"


    "Ino!"


    Kiba and Shikamaru called out for help simultaneously, but they were immediately stunned. They looked at each other with a horrified look. Their heart skipped a beat.


    They originally thought that there would always be someone who could deal with Naruto, but now, it would be a different story if there was more than one person who could.

 Chapter 229 No One Responded

    Chapter 229 No One Responded


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    Naruto nced back, and the atmosphere immediately tensed.


    Under the sunlight, the group was scattered, busy digging. Ino stood on a hillside, shovel in hand, casting a nce in Naruto''s direction before silently resuming her digging.


    Hinata, using her Byakugan, anxiously observed the three people below. Gaara was unconscious, while Temari and Kankuro''s breathing seemed to be getting increasinglybored.


    Hearing Kiba call her, Hinata jerked her head up, only to hear Ino''s name as well. Her face instantly turned red as she lowered her head again. She wasn¡¯t sure how to face this situation, so she decided to pretend she hadn''t heard anything.


    She was naturally timid, and after confronting Ino in the bathhouse to express her stance, her courage was almostpletely drained. She had reached her limit.


    ¡®No one responded.¡¯ Shikamaru and Kiba exchanged a stunned look, realizing something was off. Their minds raced, trying toe up with an excuse to ease the awkward tension.


    Ino, Hinata, and even Naruto didn''t feel particrly awkward. After all, their rtionship with Naruto was shrouded in a vague ambiguity, and turning that into a clear romantic rtionship wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Both girls understood the situation well. One was the eldest princess of the Hyuga n, and the other was the only daughter of the Yamanaka n¡¯s n Head. They could fall in love with almost anyone in the vige and make it work¡­ except for Naruto.


    When Tsunade had pushed Naruto into the limelight and openly showed her favoritism, everyone understood the Godaime Hokage''s intentions: she wanted Naruto to be Hokage.


    Sasuke''s defection had made the higher-ups hold back a bit. Konoha couldn''t afford to lose another of its new generation of Shinobi, nor could it lose its Jinchuriki.


    The influential adults of Konoha observed the unfolding chess game from above, ready to make sacrifices and exchanges aligned with their interests when necessary.


    After all, Hokage maye and go, but the noble ns remain constant. They didn¡¯t care who became Hokage, as long as it benefited them.


    The situation was tooplicated, so both Ino and Hinata tacitly avoided the thorny issues. After all, they were still young, with plenty of time ahead of them.


    However, the boys'' thoughts weren¡¯t as nuanced. Shikamaru and Kiba naturally assumed that ambiguity meant they should be together. They envisioned dramatic, storybook scenario, an earth-shaking romance where ¡®you belong only to me and no one else can have you¡¯.


    In their minds, liking the same person automatically made them rivals, and they expected some intense showdown. Or perhaps tearful confrontations forcing Naruto to choose between the two, the more melodramatic, the better¡­ a battle over private possession.


    In reality, the two girls weren''t as childish as Shikamaru and Kiba imagined. If anything, it was Shikamaru and Kiba who didn''t understand these things.


    Shikamaru, a genius who could navigate high EQ purely through his IQ, and Kiba, a hot-headed fool whose goal was to be Hokage so he could turn Konoha into a vige of dogs.


    These two, an oddbination that didn¡¯t mesh well at all, ended up creating a strangelyedic scene. While the people directly involved weren¡¯t embarrassed, Shikamaru and Kiba were awkward to the point of stiffness.


    "Ino, maybe you should contact the people down there now." Shikamaru suggested, trying to smooth things over.


    "Hinata, are they still alive? We¡¯re almost through. Try to pinpoint their location again so we don''t dig in the wrong spot." Kiba added nervously, his entire demeanor jittery.


    Hearing this, Naruto withdrew his gaze and ignored them. He leapt up to the top of arge rock and grabbed Kurama by the scruff, lifting him up.


    In the sunlight, Kurama''s limbs iled, his fiery red fur gleaming as if it were about to catch fire.


    Tenten, ncing up as she took a break from digging, caught sight of the scene and couldn¡¯t help but stare, momentarily stunned.


    "Got it." Ino muttered, tossing her shovel aside. She quickly formed a series of hand seals, attempting tomunicate with the Sunagakure¡¯s siblings buried below.


    Hinata, hearing Kiba''s words, hurriedly responded with a ¡®Got it¡¯. However, worried she might mess up, she nced towards Neji. Just as she was about to ask for guidance, Neji gave her a sidelong nce and said, "Just do it."


    "Okay." Hinata nodded nervously, her mind a bit muddled.


    She formed a simple hand seal and she swiftly activated her Byakugan. Veins bulged around her eyes, giving her a fierce appearance, but the result was unexpectedly good. She quickly reported the precise location.


    "They''re about five steps to your left and about eight meters down."


    "Alright! Akamaru, let''s go!" Kiba eximed, feeling a rush of aplishment as if he had finally found his purpose in digging. He enthusiastically performed his Fang Passing Fang technique with Akamaru.


    Soon, arge pit appeared before the group. Covered in dirt, Kiba shook himself off, grabbed a shovel, and jumped into the pit. He drove the shovel into the ground, and with a dull thud, it struck wood.


    "We did it!" Kiba cheered happily.


    Lee and Neji jumped in, working together with shovels in hands to unearth a white coffin. Kiba fiddled with the coffin for a long time but found that it was impossible to open it. He looked up at the people standing outside the deep pit.


    "Tell that guy to undo his Ninjutsu! Damn it!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Kiba squinted and saw a figure slowly approach the edge of the pit, holding a dog in his hand. He felt a bit annoyed, thinking this was hardly the time for such antics.


    ¡®Kurosuki Raiga¡¯s Funeral, Release.¡¯


    With a thought, Naruto caused the white coffin to vanish, and Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara tumbled out. Gaara was covered in blood, while Temari and Kankuro were already unconscious.


    The distance made it hard for Naruto to see if they were still breathing, but judging by Neji''s calm demeanor, it seemed likely that the Sand siblings were alive, and thye simply passed out.


    Lee, Neji, and Kiba quickly carried the trio out of the pit. Sakura was about to move forward to heal them, but Shikamaru stopped her.


    "They''re not in critical condition. Let¡¯s get out of here first and head back to the Land of Fire before we do anything."


    Sakura nodded, having no objections. As a Medical-nin, her primary role was to follow orders. After a quick nce to confirm that the three were as Shikamaru described, she slowly stepped back.


    This was a mission, not a pic, so no one objected. With Shikamaru¡¯s thorough nning and his role as team leader, the group followed his orders without question and retreated with the unconscious Sunagakure¡¯s siblings into the forests of the Land of Fire.

 Chapter 230 The Pen Dropped Behind the Curtain, The Girl’s Pale Waist

    Chapter 230 The Pen Dropped Behind the Curtain, The Girl¡¯s Pale Waist


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    At the Konoha Hospital, footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.


    Temari opened her eyes, and the smell of disinfectant filling her nose startled her. She turned her head to see clean white curtains and a pot of blooming yellow flowers on the windowsill.


    Sunlight streamed onto the white walls, casting a faint glow.


    Before she could fully recall what had happened, the footsteps outside her room stopped, and the door swung open. The person who entered seemed to have no concept of personal space, walking straight up to her bedside before stopping.


    "You''re awake?"


    Naruto''s voice was low and his tone was indifferent. With blonde hair and blue eyes, he wore a loose white short-sleeve shirt. His forehead was smooth, and his slightly wavy blonde hair nearly covered his eyebrows.


    Temari let out a faint ¡®Ah¡¯ as her head instinctively turned away, her gaze drawn to his hands again.


    Naruto was holding a stack of documents, and in his right hand, he gripped a pen. His fingernails were slightly translucent, and his broad knuckles clenched the pen tightly.


    After staring at him for a second, Temari felt something was wrong with her body. Her mouth felt dry from the nervous saliva her body produced. Her face warmed as she hurriedly shifted her gaze.


    She didn''t know where to look now, so she lowered her head, staring at the white cup in front of her. Her pupils dted, her vision unfocused at the edges, and she could faintly hear Naruto''s slightly impatient voice nearby.


    "Since you''re awake, sign this agreement." Naruto said, frowning at Temari. He hadn''t wanted any involvement with her, but Shizune had insisted on dragging him along for this.


    Something about how it would be more appropriate if he delivered it, after all, Temari knew him better than most people in Konoha.


    Knew him? Not really. Their acquaintance was more like a series of forced interactions rather than anything personal.


    Naruto stared at Temari, who was looking down and pretending to ignore him, and felt a sudden surge of irritation.


    He didn''t understand why, but every time he saw her, his tone unconsciously became harsh. It wasn''t that he wanted to be rude, but something about her demeanor just got under his skin,


    ¡®This posture, those eyes¡­ what was with her acting so submissive? It was infuriating!¡¯


    "Agreement?" Temari''s voice was soft, and her expression finally became normal as she looked up at him and said, "What kind of agreement?"


    "How would I know? See for yourself." Naruto tossed the agreement onto the bed. With a muffled sound, the thick stack of papersnded on the white nket, while the pen rolled off, disappearing into the folds of the curtain.


    "Oh okay." Temari hesitated for a moment and looked at the pen again.


    Naruto didn''t pay it any mind. He saw no need to fetch the pen. If Temari had any objections to the agreement, it would be the perfect excuse for him to leave and call Shizune over to exin.


    He hadn''t read the agreement at all, mainly because he couldn''t care less, just like he couldn''t care less about the pen that had rolled behind the curtain.


    But the scene Naruto expected didn''t unfold. Temari didn''t agree or refuse, nor did she flip through the agreement. Instead, she carefully peeked at him before quickly turning her gaze towards where the pen had fallen.


    "The pen fell." Temari said with some fear.


    "If it fell, it fell. Don''t worry about it." Naruto said as he stood beside the bed.


    "Can I pick it up?" She asked.


    Naruto felt a little ufortable when asked this, ¡®It was just a pen. If she wanted to pick it up, she should just do it. Did she really need my permission? Would she not dare to pick it up if I said no?¡¯


    "Whatever." He replied impatiently.


    ¡®So annoying. Why does this woman act like I was going to eat her alive?¡¯


    "Okay." She nodded and hesitated for a moment.


    Then, Temari slowly shifted on the bed, not bothering to lift the nket. Instead, she got on all fours and crawled towards the edge of the bed. One hand propped against the wall, while the other reached towards the space behind the curtain.


    Her slender neck was pale, and the loose blue-and-white hospital gown couldn''t hide the curves of her body. A gentle breeze swept in, revealing her smooth, fair waist.


    Naruto coldly watched the braid of her golden hair swaying, then felt a strange emotion welling up inside him. His mind buzzed with a sudden itch, the kind that made him want to reach out and touch it.


    Temari waspletely oblivious to her exposed waist as she strained to reach for the pen behind the curtain, her hand that was bracing against the wall trembling slightly.


    "Just a little bit more." She muttered through gritted teeth, stretching her fingers to nudge the pen on the floor. However, no matter how much she tried, it was always just out of reach.


    Instead of bringing the pen closer, her fingertips ended up pushing it further away. At this point, backing down wasn¡¯t an option, so she focused entirely on extending her body further.


    Her mind was getting fuzzy, and she felt slightly lightheaded, her face flushed red, though she didn''t find it particrly ufortable.


    Exerting so much effort just to pick up a pen¡­ even Temari herself didn''t quite understand why she was doing it. She simply felt an intense urge to retrieve it after seeing it tossed aside.


    It was as if that pen held some magical power, entirely upying Temari''s thoughts. Ignoring it and leaving it there felt like an itch she couldn''t scratch.


    It started as a passing thought¡­ ¡®Would I be praised if I managed to pick it up?¡¯


    This sudden notion in her mind was like gasoline ignited by a lit cigarette, once sparked, it couldn''t be extinguished. She stared for a moment before acting on it. By the time she realized, she was already bent over, reaching for the pen.


    After a while, Temari finally grabbed the pen, clutching it in her hand before slowly returning under the white nket.


    Naruto had been watching the entire time, and retracted his hand early, not taking the fleeting impulse he felt earlier to heart. He scrutinized Temari once more, unable to fathom why she was so determined to retrieve a mere pen.


    The room Temari was in was a small, single-patient room, which ispact and easily visible in one nce. The narrow hallway at the end of the bed was only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time.


    Konoha Hospital had been experiencing a shortage of beds recently, and coordinating even this small room for Temari was no small feat. While Kankuro and Gaara are squeezed in another room.


    "Read the agreement. If you have any questions, let me know, and I''ll find someone to exin it." Naruto reiterated, eager for her to raise any objections so he could escape this situation.


    "I picked up the pen." Temari said softly.


    "Huh?" Naruto was stunned and looked at her in confusion.


    "I picked it up." She clutched the pen tightly, her grip so firm that her hand was trembling.


    "And then?" Naruto''s gaze shifted downwards, staring at the pen for a moment before looking back at Temari, ¡®Has she lost her mind?¡¯


    ¡®Could it be that she has be stupid due tock of oxygen? Thatst statement didn''t seem like it came from someone older than three.¡¯ He was a little confused, and Naruto''s eyes finally settled on Temari''s face.


    "I picked it up." She repeated.


    "Yeah, you picked it up. Alright." Naruto said, feeling a headacheing on. "Now, focus on the agreement. If there''s anything you don''t understand, let me know so I can get someone to help."


    Temari looked at him with a hint of grievance, and Naruto cursed inwardly, ¡®Damn it! What the hell is wrong with this woman? What¡¯s with her expression? Was she expecting me to praise her or something?¡¯


    Naruto exhaled deeply, suppressing his annoyance before finally saying, "You picked it up. That¡¯s impressive."


    "Okay." Temari nodded, then set the pen aside and picked up the agreement from the bed, beginning to read it carefully. Her focused expression showed that she was taking it far more seriously than any three-year-old would.


    Naruto watched Temari nervously, half-expecting her to blurt out something ridiculous like, "Is this a drawing?"


    Fortunately, Temari quietly read through the entire agreement, but unfortunately, she didn''t raise any objections. She only looked up after reading thest word. Naruto, who had been spacing out nearby, noticed her gaze and quickly stood up, "What''s wrong? Is there a problem? I''ll go find¡­"


    "No problem. I can sign this agreement." Temari nodded and smoothly signed her name and added her fingerprint.

 Chapter 231 You Don’t Want This Either, Do You?

    Chapter 231 You Don¡¯t Want This Either, Do You?


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    Seeing the task was done, Naruto didn¡¯t dwell on it. All that mattered was that he could leave now. He didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on Temari because it was¡­ troublesome.


    "That''s good." Naruto said, then took the agreement and turned to leave.


    Just as he turned, he felt a tug on his wrist. Naruto turned around and looked back, just in time to meet Temari''s eyes, who had a look of fear on her face.


    Seeing this, Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn''t like that expression, nor did he like Temari''s demeanor. For him, just looking at her was bothersome.


    "What do you want?"


    The task waspleted, so he had no need to be polite with Temari anymore. Even if there were future dealings between Konoha and the Sunagakure¡¯s Siblings, it had nothing to do with him.


    He is just a Genin and had no say in such matters.


    "I¡­" Temari couldn¡¯t find the words.


    Naruto looked at the pen on the quilt, and suddenly a guess came to his mind. He stared at Temari for a few seconds, then spoke, "Give me the pen."


    His tone wasmanding, expecting Temari toply with this simple request. Normally, anyone would hand the pen over without a second thought.


    But after taking the pen, Naruto threw it back onto the floor and said again, "Give it to me."


    Temari was stunned for a moment, but she did as she was told. She bent down, picked up the pen, and handed it back to Naruto. However, after taking the pen, Naruto threw it even farther this time.


    This time, he said nothing and just extended his hand.


    When Temari got off the bed, quietly picked up the pen, and handed it to him once more, Naruto closed his eyes and sighed, ¡®So troublesome¡­ It¡¯s still the same as before¡­ nothing had changed.¡¯


    A year ago, after the Chunin Exams, Naruto had noticed Temari¡¯s strange behavior. He thought it was just temporary and that she would return to normal after some time.


    And before leaving, Naruto even tested Temari once. He caught up with her in the empty hallway of the Hokage Tower and, in amanding tone, told her to stop and said that he wanted to touch something.


    But Temari hadn¡¯tplied. Instead, she scolded him. He had thought she was back to normal back then, but who would¡¯ve guessed that a yearter, she¡¯d be back to acting like this.


    He looked at Temari, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, watching him. Her bare feet dangled and swung gently.


    "You¡­" Naruto looked at her with aplicated expression.


    "Take off your clothes."


    Hearing this, Temari blinked, then raised her hand.


    "Hey! Stop!" Naruto quickly intervened, sighing again in exasperation as things took an even more bizarre turn.


    Temari halted her movement and looked at him in amusement.


    "You better act normal. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you, but¡­" Naruto took a deep breath, "Are you messing with me?"


    "I¡¯m not." Temari murmured, lowering her head, "Don¡¯t be so harsh."


    She looked away, her voice softening, "I don¡¯t want to be like this either, it¡¯s just that sometimes¡­ Most of the time, it¡¯s fine, but whenever I see you, I just¡­"


    Naruto nced up and down at Temari, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Do you still remember what happened before?"


    Temari''s face flushed red, but she remained silent.


    Seeing her reaction, Naruto¡¯s lips couldn''t help but twitch, and he thought to himself, ¡®So she does remember. Then, there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush anymore.¡¯


    "You don''t want this either, right? Beingpletely obedient to a stranger."


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Naruto actually noticed a look of hesitation on Temari''s face, ¡®This shouldn¡¯t require any hesitation! Seriously, would a normal person hesitate about something like this?¡¯


    "¡­ No, I don¡¯t." Temari shook her head.


    "You better get a grip." Naruto felt that his patience for two lifetimes was being consumed here, "So from now on, we should just avoid seeing each other. As long as we don''t have any contact with each other until we die, everything will stay normal."


    "No." Temari immediately shook her head in refusal.


    Naruto responded, "Whether we do or don¡¯t isn¡¯t up to you."


    Temari stared at him and said with determination, "I have ways to stick with you."


    Naruto was taken aback when he heard this. He felt that Temari is really capable of such things.


    The higher-ups in Konoha would probably side with Temari, unless he decided topletely hide and ignore those troublesome higher-ups.


    As for Temari herself, Naruto admitted she was beautiful, well, purely in terms of appearance. The Land of Wind was known for its beauties, thanks to abundant sunshine. Everyone in the Shinobi World knew that the Kunoichi of Sunagakure had fair skin, soft and delicate.


    But it''s not like Naruto has never seen a woman before, so he wouldn¡¯t be swayed just because of a princess from Sunagakure. As far as the current situation is concerned, being entangled with Temari brought him no benefits whatsoever.


    Temari stubbornly furrowed her brow, refusing to back down in her standoff with Naruto.


    "Goodbye."


    "No."


    "You won¡¯t be able to find me anyway, and I¡¯m toozy to bother with you." Naruto said exasperatedly. "There are many ways I can hide if I want to. Don¡¯t push me to the point where I¡¯ll end up hating you. I can¡¯t guarantee what I¡¯ll do then."


    Temari was silent, staring at the ground for a long time without saying anything. After a long pause, she finally murmured, "I didn¡¯t mean it that way."


    Naruto didn¡¯t want to hear any more. They had alreadyid everything bare, so continuing the conversation felt pointless. His rtionship with Temari had no bearing on the bigger picture, and was ultimately insignificant.


    Right now, with Gaara¡¯s current condition, the Sunagakure¡¯s siblings still needed Konoha¡¯s support to regroup for a counterattack. In the end, the three siblings would have to return to Sunagakure and face the higher-ups there.


    As with any power struggle, it would end in victory or defeat.


    "I''m leaving now." Naruto said, "We¡¯ll talk about thister. Let¡¯s both take some time to cool down and see where things stand."


    "No!"


    Naruto frowned as Temari met his gaze. They stared at each other for a moment before she finally relented. She lowered her head and mumbled a quiet, forlorn ¡®okay¡¯.


    Naruto didn¡¯t bother to respond, turning on his heel and leaving the room with the documents in hand.


    After leaving Konoha Hospital, Naruto still had displeased expression on his face.


    ¡®Temari''s matter was not easy to deal with. Though Konoha and Sunagakure were allies, things were chaotic in Sunagakure right now.¡¯


    ¡®I don''t know what kind of messed up agreement they signed before, but in any case, the three siblings seemed toe to Konoha for temporary refuge, and they will fight back after regrouping.¡¯


    Naruto only felt that these things were troublesome. He didn¡¯t think someone like Temari would genuinely have feelings for him. It felt more like a form of venting or a unique need that happened to involve him.


    To be honest, he didn¡¯t like it at all. This feeling of being used as a tool, even if he was in the dominant position, still made him ufortable.


    Back at the Hokage¡¯s Office, Naruto dropped off the documents. There was no one inside, so he set them down and turned to leave, only to find someone blocking the doorway.


    "Are the documents signed?" Sakura asked with a smile.

 Chapter 232 The Beginning of Tragedy Is Always Similar

    Chapter 232 The Beginning of Tragedy Is Always Simr


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    "It''s signed." Naruto replied, then was stunned for a moment, and reacted, "Are those documents for Tsunade-sama?"


    "No, Shizune-san asked for them. She told me to get them signed and deliver them right away." Sakura said this, but there was no trace of urgency on her face.


    "The documents¡­" Naruto nced back at the documents on the desk, "They¡¯re right there. Want me to bring them over for you?"


    "Alright." Sakura agreed, a hint of a doting expression shing in her eyes.


    Naruto turned and picked up the documents. Every time Sakura said ¡®alright¡¯, it gave him a strange, ufortable feeling. Still, he calmly handed the documents to her.


    "Remember what you promised me?" Sakura suddenly asked.


    "Huh?"


    "I¡¯ll probably be free to leave the Hokage Tower around four in the afternoon. Are you free?" Sakura waved the documents in her hand, "Come wait for me at the Hokage Tower."


    Naruto didn''t have any missions for the time being, as Shizune had mentioned it to him. Until the Sunagakure situation was resolved, he wouldn¡¯t have any missions for a while.


    The mission to the Land of Snow was also on indefinite hold since Koyuki had left Konoha, and her whereabouts is unknown. Naruto couldn¡¯t just leave the vige to chase after a princess who kept avoiding reality, so that matter was shelved for the time being.


    "Alright." He agreed.


    When Naruto returned home, hey on the sofa for a while. Kurama was unexpectedly not home. The balcony window was wide open, curtains swaying, and a beam of light shone straight onto the floor within a meter of the sliding door.


    With a tter, the sliding door was pushed open from the balcony, and Kurama strolled in like a Tom Cat. The summer breeze carried warm air into the living room.


    "Kid, you''re back already?" Kurama hopped onto the sofa, wriggled around to find the mostfortable position, and disyed a satisfied expression.


    "Where have you been?" Naruto squinted his eyes open, giving Kurama a brief nce.


    "None of your business." Kurama muttered as he pulled a bottle of booze from under the sofa and skillfully opened it, "Just took a stroll. Hah, humans are so easy to fool."


    "I just stood there, and they bought food for me. Truly, they are ves."


    "Begging?" Naruto asked with a hint of disdain.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Begging?!" Kurama jumped up from the sofa, "How can a Biju like me be begging? It¡¯s not like I asked for it! They gave it to me!"


    "I was just making a casual remark, why are you so worked up?" Naruto teased.


    Kurama wanted to toss a Bijudama at him, but restrained himself for the sake of the alcohol, as he was forced to lower his head under the roof. So he simply flipped over andy back down on the sofa.


    The man and foxy there quietly for a while, the summer breeze blowing in, making the wind chimes tinkle softly.


    "What¡¯s for lunch?" Kurama suddenly asked.


    "You know, you sound pretty pathetic talking like that. After all, you are a Biju, right?" Narutoined, "You wouldn¡¯t starve even if you ate nothing, right?"


    Hearing this, Kurama¡¯s face darkened.


    "That may be true, but since I finally have my freedom, I should enjoy some good food. You¡¯re not really nning on not preparing anything, are you? I want barbecue."


    "I''m toozy to go."


    "No way! You have to go." Kurama jumped off the sofa, grabbed Naruto¡¯s arm, and forcibly dragged him off the couch.


    With a loud thud, Narutonded heavily on his back, and his eyes snapped open. His face twitched slightly, and he really felt like using the Adamantine Sealing Chains to lock up this fox.


    Bang!


    The door shut behind them.


    Naruto slowly walked down the hallway, the warm sunlight bathing his body. Kuramay on his shoulder, curled up behind the tuft of fluffy blond hair.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The sound of their footsteps slowly faded, and the shadows of the man and the fox became short, like two chibi monsters.


    The sun was shining brightly, shining on every corner of Konoha.


    "Regarding the development of the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki," Danzo''s bandaged eye swept across the group of higher-ups, "I personally believe it¡¯s time to bring this matter onto the agenda."


    "The Jinchuriki from Sunagakure is also in Konoha now. Even if we have signed an agreement to temporarily house them, we have more opportunities to facilitate coboration on developing the Jinchuriki from both viges."


    "After all, Konoha and Sunagakure are allies."


    Seated in the shadows, each n Head remained silent. Tsunade had left a while ago, supposedly to retrieve something personally, so they were now listening to Danzo¡¯s arguments about developing the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    Danzo was apetent higher-up, as he was cunning and patient, willing to go to any lengths for Konoha¡¯s benefit. However, hecked bravery and was self-deceptive.


    He tried to use the collective interest to amodate his selfishness. He had no second thoughts about Konoha, so he felt that Konoha couldn''t do without him. This was Danzo¡¯s main concern: dedication!


    He had shed blood for Konoha and sacrificed everything except his life. His greatest dream was to be recognized by everyone, and this recognition had crystallized into a tangible goal, which is to be the Hokage.


    Give and take¡­ This was the story of Shimura Danzo¡¯s life in Konoha.


    "It¡¯s understandable that the Godaime Hokage has personal considerations, but the Jinchuriki is an important strategic weapon for the vige and cannot be treated as a regr matter." Danzo continued after a pause.


    Shikaku coughed softly at this moment. As the veteran military strategist and Konoha''s voice, he had the privilege to interrupt Danzo¡¯s speech.


    "The issue of the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki has been discussed before, and the Sandaime''s opinion is..."


    "The Sandaime is no longer with us, so what¡¯s the point of bringing this up now?" Danzo interrupted irritably.


    The younger generation is growing up, with Tsunade as the Godaime, and Kakashi may be the Rokudaime. This trend deeply frustrated Danzo, but he was also well aware of what Tsunade and Kakashi represented for Konoha.


    Konoha needed pirs of strength, as well as the power of the younger generation.


    Danzo held Konoha in such high regard, but he also held himself in equally high regard. Sandaime Hokage had already left the stage of history, but Danzo was still unwilling to leave. He firmly believed that his position was irreceable, and Konoha needed Root, and it also needed him.


    The conference room was silent enough to hear a pin drop. Danzo¡¯s voice was soft but carried the irrefutable authority of a veteran higher-up.


    With a loud crash, the heavy wooden door of the conference room was flung open. Blinding sunlight flooded in, illuminating the entire room, and Danzo instinctively squinted his eye.


    The sunlight surrounded Tsunade like a radiant bouquet. d in a green robe, with her golden hair flowing, she exuded an impressive aura.


    "Stop wasting time!"


    The crisp sound of high heels hitting the ground echoed throughout the conference room. Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage, a pure-blooded descendant of the Shodaime Hokage, strode to the long table that upied two-thirds of the room.


    The moment Tsunade stood still, her gaze swept across the higher-ups without any hint of fear, her eyes sharp as des.


    With a loud p, she tossed a neatly bound document onto the center of the table.


    "Sunagakure has already signed a betting agreement with Konoha. After Gaara bes the Kazekage, the Jinchuriki of Sunagakure and Konoha will form an alliance. The two viges have pledged alliance, never to engage in war."


    "The premise is the refusal to develop Jinchuriki and the rejection of any treaties or ns that sacrifice the interests of the Jinchuriki."


    Her words exploded in the minds of the higher-ups like a thunderp.


    This agreement was not just a few pieces of paper, as it signified the first treaty that protected the rights of Biju¡¯s Jinchuriki. In ck and white, the protection n for Jinchuriki could potentially be enforceablew in the future.


    Moreover, this agreement was not something Tsunade drafted alone, and it was formted with Land of Wind¡¯s Sunagakure, involving two of the Five Great Countries, making the ordinance substantial.


    Apart from the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth also possessed Jinchuriki, with the Tsuchikage facing a critical juncture. This was a reality everyone understood.


    What will happen in the future? All the Konoha¡¯s higher-ups focused their attention on the agreement.


    Danzo¡¯s face turned ashen as he extended his hand. nearby higher-up quickly grabbed the agreement and handed it to him. Danzo, without saying a word, flipped through the contents of the agreement page by page.


    "What is this stuff written here?" In the barbecue restaurant, Kurama tossed the menu onto the table and whispered, "Why are there only juices? Get some bottles of sake."


    "Haha, do you think that¡¯s possible?" Naruto replied impatiently, "At this age, they won¡¯t put alcohol on the menu, so just give up on that idea."


    "Kid, why haven¡¯t you grown up yet?!" Kuramained in a low voice, "How can you enjoy barbecue without booze?"


    "Stop whining, just pick something."


    "Ah!!" A scream from the street caught Naruto¡¯s attention. A white bird flew through the crowd, knocking off a woman¡¯s wide hat and circling above the streets of Konoha.


    At Yamanaka Flower Shop, Ino checked her Ninja Pouch carefully before pushing open the store¡¯s door. The golden strands of her hair were ruffled by the swiftly passing bird. She turned her head, her blue eyes tracking the bird as it soared high into the sky.


    Shikamaru and Choji walked out of an alley together, bathed in sunlight, frowning slightly as they conversed. They paused briefly by a stall and waved at Ino.


    Shino and Kiba were leaning against the gate of the Hyuga n¡¯spound, waiting. Akamaru appeared a bit listless. He looked at the steaming crowd and stuck out his bright red tongue.


    Under the clear blue sky, the entire vige of Konoha was like a living stream, moving slowly yet vibrantly.


    On June 3rd, the summer in Konoha was unusually hot.


    Naruto and Kurama, having just left the barbecue restaurant, walked slowly down the street, gazing at the bustling street. The heat in the air caused a slight distortion. He nced at a convenience store and couldn¡¯t help but stop.


    Hokage Tower, at sunset.


    Sakura sat on the rooftop railing, her legs dangling and swinging slightly. She gazed at the trees whose leaves had all turned golden, her expression utterly serene.


    Hearing the footstepsing from behind her, she turned her head and looked back.


    Naruto stopped at the doorway, his eyes resting on the girl with pink hairpletely bathed in the sunset. His eyelids twitched slightly.


    He had seen simr scenes before, usually in tragic movies. The clich¨¦ plot couldn''t move him at all. He could even predict the ending before the tragedy had begun.

 Chapter 233 A Pervert Who Deceives Naive Girls!

    Chapter 233 A Pervert Who Deceives Naive Girls!


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    "What are you doing?" Naruto asked, looking at her.


    "What?" Sakura jumped down from the railing and looked at him curiously, "Didn''t we make an appointment? This afternoon..."


    "Oh." The uneasy feeling in his mind disappeared, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "You asked me for a small favor before. Can you tell me what it is now?"


    "Ah, just wanted to stroll around." Sakura pointed to Konoha Street in the distance, not yet illuminated by lights.


    "That sort of thing... you don¡¯t really need to make such a formal request." Naruto turned first and started down the stairs. Sakura followed behind with her hands behind her back. There were about eight steps between them.


    "Well, you probably wouldn¡¯t agree otherwise, and would find some excuse to brush me off." Sakura said in a tone that said, ¡®You''re just that kind of person¡¯.


    "Uh¡­" Naruto was at a loss for words, as she had hit the nail on the head.


    Considering Sakura¡¯s recent risky statements and his wariness of her unstable sense of ethics, it is possible that he would reject all of Sakura''s individual invitations.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was being overly cautious, he simply didn¡¯t want to get involved in unnecessary trouble.


    He knew very well that whether it was the crazy Temari or Sakura, both were unpredictable ticking bombs. If he were simply motivated by lust, who knows when one of them might explode.


    As for Ino and Hinata¡­ They both had gentle personalities, and their desires weren¡¯t reckless or brainless.


    Naruto knew he could be a bit of a scumbag, but at least he was clear about it.


    He is still young and has not been in a rtionship yet. He just had a good rtionship with Ino and Hinata. Without confirming anything with anyone, there was no sense of being two-timing, nor was there any guidance against the forbidden concept of minors dating.


    Although to be honest, this is not the real world, so he could be a little greedy and want both after he came of age.


    Even if he were to act more like a scumbag, anyone with half a brain wouldn¡¯t mess with his teammates, let alone the Sunagakure¡¯s princess.


    There had to be a limit to recklessness. At the very least, he can gain the friendships of both Ino and Hinata. Why would he risk losing everything by entangling with a yandere or a masochist?


    Pure friendship is hard toe by. He already had few friends to begin with, so only a fool would y with fire.


    "Why are you quiet all of a sudden?" Sakura asked.


    They had already walked out of the Hokage Tower, and the evening light halted at Naruto¡¯s feet. He nced back and saw Sakura standing a few steps behind him, looking at him a puzzled expression.


    "It¡¯s nothing, just lost in thought." He said casually, "It¡¯s not like I¡¯d refuse, after all, it¡¯s just a stroll. I usually have plenty of free time, not too busy."


    "That''s good." She said with a smile, and deliberately took a few steps forward until she was in front of Naruto, then turned back to look at him.


    It was one of those forty-five-degree side nces, just enough to reveal the curve of her neck and jawline. The profile of the girl was disyed before him. Sakura made no attempt to hide her intentions, showing a sweet smile he had never seen before.


    "Let¡¯s go then!"


    "Sure." Naruto shrugged and followed with a nonchnt look on his face.


    "Naruto-kun really isn¡¯t a good person, huh?" Sakura suddenly said as they walked side by side.


    Naruto didn¡¯t react much at first. He nced at her, then turned his head and asked slowly, "Why do you say that?"


    "¡­ You don¡¯t even bother to deny it." Sakura teased.


    "I¡¯m not exactly a good person, but it depends on the aspect. In some ways, my moral bottom line is still rtively high." Naruto said.


    "Hmm, when you put it that way, I¡¯m kind of curious." Sakura¡¯s gaze skimmed over the stores along the street.


    Naruto fell silent.


    "But Naruto-kun must have some other charm, right? Otherwise, Ino and Hinata wouldn¡¯t care about you, would they?" Sakura said bluntly.


    "That''s true." Naruto admitted shamelessly.


    "You admitted it so straightforwardly that it kind of hurts." Sakura sighed and said, "I heard that boys will only admit their rtionship with other girls in front of girls they don''t care about."


    "Pure friendship." Naruto corrected her.


    "That hurts even more. I might just cry." Sakura stopped, turned around, and looked at Naruto. There¡¯s smile on her face despite her words.


    "I was here first."


    "Don''t say such weird things. You only took control of your body at that time, right? Don''t lie with your eyes wide open like me!"


    Naruto couldn''t quite recall the exact moment, but Dark Sakura''s persona probably awakened about ten days after Sasuke''s defection. In that cramped duty room at Konoha Hospital, Sakura had smiled and asked him who Sasuke was.


    "Time sure flies. It''s already been a year." Sakura put her hands behind her back and continued walking forward without responding directly to the conversation.


    "Yeah, more than a year has passed." Naruto also felt a tinge of nostalgia. To say he was unaffected would be a lie.


    Imagine a normal person suddenly ending up in the Naruto World, constantly facing inexplicable malice, suspicion, and cold stares. Watching Shinobi run along rooftops, spewing fire, water, lightning, and other supernatural feats.


    Any normal person would be shocked to the point of questioning reality. Luckily, he had watched Naruto before, so he was somewhat calm when he first arrived in this world.


    What left the deepest impression on him was the start of the Shippuden series, where Gaara ¡®died¡¯ at the beginning. The fighting scenes were so captivating that he didn''t pay much attention to Naruto''s youth. After all, it was a hot-blooded shonen anime. Just fighting was enough. Who cares about romantic subplots?


    But he is now Uzumaki Naruto, a living person. When it was his turn to live here, he didn¡¯t want to fight or kill. He didn¡¯t care about the hot-blooded shonen anime stuff. Someone else could save the world, and he was just going to take it easy.


    Flowers can bloom again, but youth doesn''t return.


    He''s young now, so why not bloom in Konoha?


    "I want to eat that!" Sakura suddenly turned around and said to him. Naruto was spacing out and was startled by Sakura''s flushed face.


    ¡®Jeez, did she say something wild again?¡¯


    It wasn''t until he followed Sakura''s gaze and saw the takoyaki stall that Naruto breathe a sigh of relief. He was almost scared to death just now. He just hoped that he didn''t have to eat anything weird.


    The two of them approached the stall, and Naruto recognized it as the same stall from before. Thest time he bought food there, Sakura''s voice suddenly popped up from behind him. It was quite a scare.


    "If you want to eat, just buy it." He subconsciously reached for his money, but suddenly remembered that the other party was Sakura, so he swiftly pulled his hand out of his pocket.


    Last time, she had mentioned spending Pink Sakura''s savings.


    Naruto doesn''t know if her small expenses can keep up with the speed at which she earns big money. Sakura''s family seems to be well off. So, if it¡¯s just for food, unless she ate premium barbecue every meal and have appetite like Hinata, she wouldn¡¯t run out of money.


    Naruto thought carelessly, and a smile suddenly crept onto his face.


    "Boss, I want that, and that." Sakura said, and suddenly turned her head without warning, just in time to see Naruto''s smile. She immediately said with dissatisfaction, "Are you still thinking about other girls right now?"


    "Yes." Naruto replied confidently, "So what?"


    "No problem. Even if you¡¯re like this, Naruto-kun, I still like you." Dark Sakura smiled gently and said, "I''ll just be your backup girlfriend."


    "Damn it, don''t say that kind of thing in public!" Naruto quickly covered Sakura''s mouth and looked around in panic, but it was already toote.


    Although the surrounding customers didn''t say anything, they discreetly moved away. When they nced over as if nothing had happened, there was a hint of contempt at the end, as if to say, ¡®He must be a pervert who deceives naive girls!¡¯

 Chapter 234 No Wonder Tsunade-sama Is Always Angry

    Chapter 234 No Wonder Tsunade-sama Is Always Angry


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    "Cough, cough, first of all, I''m definitely not a pervert." Narutoined under his breath, "And she¡¯s not some naive girl either, damn it!"


    Ding-ling!


    The old man with poor hearing at the stall rang the bell, then looked up and said, "Customer, your takoyaki."


    "Mmmph!" Sakura struggled to take the takoyaki in the paper bag. She didn''t care that Naruto was covering her mouth and just stretched out her hand to grab it, creating a rather indecent scene.


    Naruto couldn''t stand it anymore. He grabbed the food and dragged Sakura away. After walking some distance, away from the crowd, he handed the food to Sakura with a bit of irritation.


    "Here, is this stuff really that good?"


    "It''s delicious." Sakura carefully took the paper bag, switching it from hand to hand as the heat made her fingertips tingle. Her cheeks flushed as she blew on the hot takoyaki.


    After a moment, she seemed to think of something and asked, "Do you want some?"


    Naruto looked at her hesitantly and opened his mouth, but still no sound came out.


    ¡°It''s not poisoned," Sakura blinked. "Tsunade-sama didn¡¯t teach me much about poisons. I couldn''t possibly learn it bit by bit from books, right?¡±


    Hearing this, Narutopletely abandoned the idea of trying a bite. After all, he had read too many stories and knew how scary a Yandere can be.


    ¡°I''m not hungry." Naruto coughed and said.


    ¡°Oh." Sakura turned her head and continued eating the takoyaki, slowly walking towards the lit area.


    Naruto followed behind her, always maintaining a certain distance. Dark Sakura had a restrained desire that contrasted sharply, like a pure girl wearing old-fashioned ck-rimmed sses but with a hidden edge.


    Though sharing the same face and body as Sakura, Dark Sakura always gave Naruto the impression of being a different person in front of him, perhaps in the way she ate, or the changes in her gaze when she spoke.


    Naruto had seen how Sakura behaved in front of others. She speaks at a normal speed, and her expression is straightforward and natural. Most of the time, she wore a gentle smile, making her seem like a kind girl.


    It was said that she was very popr at Konoha Hospital, especially in the medical department full of men. Even the most meticulous and gentle wound care couldn''tpare to a girl telling you to ¡®bear with it, this might hurt¡¯. And with Sakura''s serious and careful attitude, she quickly earned the nickname ¡®Angel¡¯.


    Sakura stopped as if she had something to say. When Naruto caught up and stood beside her, she finally spoke, ¡°Actually, I wanted to try seeing today as a date.¡±


    Hearing this, Naruto nced at her, "Forget it, sounds like a hassle."


    Night had fallen, and Konoha Street was sparsely lit. The summer breeze hadn¡¯t diminished the lingering heat. Sakura, in her sleeveless top, turned her head to look at him.


    ¡°Well, fine. Whether you pretend, lie, tell the truth, or just brush me off, I don¡¯t dislike it.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, Naruto woke up.


    He looked at the empty room and sighed. They had stayed out quitetest night. It wasn¡¯t anything particrly special¡­ just wandering around aimlessly.


    Sakura seemed very happy, and he didn¡¯t mind the feeling either. It wasfortable, as they had a date while maintaining some distance between them, so it feels safe.


    However, Naruto sensed that something had changed. Not with him, but with Dark Sakura. It felt like she had been overly happy, as if she was having way too much fun.


    Naruto even felt like he was just an essory, just there as a presence.


    ¡®Oh well, maybe I¡¯d find some time to ask her today.¡¯


    Naruto rolled out of bed and made his way to the Hokage Tower. Tsunade was still absent, and Naruto didn¡¯t know what she was busy with. After looking around, he found Shizune.


    "You¡¯re here?" Shizue also raised her head, and her hands, which were processing documents, were so slow that they left afterimages, just like a four-wed fish that often processes documents so slowly.


    "Well, someone from the Anbu told me that Tsunade-sama was looking for me." Whenever Naruto had some free time, every few days, he¡¯d run into Yugao.


    With her purple hair and Anbu animal mask, Yugao was quite eye-catching. After Tsunade took control of the Anbu, Yugao seemed to have gained more responsibility.


    ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s rted to Gekko Hayate? After all, her fianc¨¦ died in the line of duty, leaving her a widow.¡¯


    "Actually, I was the one looking for you. I asked the Anbu to send someone to call you over." Shizune stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "Tsunade-sama has been quite busytely, mostly with matters regarding Sunagakure."


    "Sunagakure?" Naruto''s eyelids twitched slightly, and he had a bad feeling.


    "Yes, Gaara from Sunagakure is likely to be the Fifth Kazekage. Some of the higher-ups in Sunagakure can no longer stop him, so they resorted to despicable means to force him out of Sunagakure."


    Shizune exined calmly, as ifying the groundwork for a bigger conversation.


    "The vige will provide Gaara with reasonable support as an ally, and the majority of Sunagakure¡¯s higher-ups also support him, so¡­"


    "So?" Naruto asked.


    "Gaara¡¯s session as the Godaime Kazekage would be a good oue for the vige and even the Land of Fire," Shizune said while nodding.


    "I don''t care if the world is at peace or not. It doesn''t matter even if there''s a war." Naruto said, interrupting Shizune''s words, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not doing any strange tasks, and I¡¯m not doing troublesome missions either."


    "Your character is really..." Shizune¡¯s expression became hard to maintain.


    "Huh? There''s nothing I can do about it. This vige isn¡¯t that great either." Naruto turned around and said bluntly, not hiding his dislike for the vige.


    "People are shaped by the environment they live in. My personality was slowly developed here in Konoha. No matter how you look at it, Konoha should be the one to take responsibility. After all¡­"


    Shizune was reaching her limit, and she gradually understood why Tsunade always got so angry whenever she saw Naruto. With such an infuriating personality, even she wanted to m Naruto into the wall at this moment.


    But she was not Tsunade after all. Facing this troublesome prince of Konoha, Shizune took a deep breath and suppressed her anger, then gently persuaded him.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a strange mission. It''s just to get you to interact more with the Sunagakure¡¯s Princess. Naruto, you know about the rtionship between Konoha and Sunagakure. Although we are allies, our rtionship has always been tense."


    "A rtionship based on shared interests will never be as strong as more intimate rtionships, even friendships."


    "What does that have to do with me?" Naruto asked with his hands in his pockets.


    "It¡¯s definitely rted. Tsunade-sama is particrly concerned about this matter. Don¡¯t you want to ease her worries?" Shizune stood up directly from the chair.


    She would never bother with grand statements like doing it for the vige or world peace. She knew Naruto too well and knew he was not interested in those ideals.


    "I don''t want to." Naruto shook his head like a rattle.


    "Tsunade-sama, she..." Just as he was speaking, the crisp sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. Those footsteps were all too familiar to him.


    The rhythmic tapping felt like it was beating against his heart, amplifying the pressure to the extreme.


    "Tsunade-sama has been overworkedtely. If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, it would be my honor." Naruto quickly switched his tone after sensing the imminent danger.

 Chapter 235 Open Your Eyes And See The Real World

    Chapter 235 Open Your Eyes And See The Real World


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    The eldest princess of the Senju n stood outside the door, frowned and stared at Naruto''s back, but said nothing. She came in, picked up a document, and left.


    The green robe brushed past Naruto¡¯s side, making him tense up immediately. The imposing aura of Konoha¡¯s Empress was too overwhelming. It was mainly because Tsunade had been too busytely and her temper wasn¡¯t the best.


    Naruto basically hid and never made a sound, for fear of being noticed by Tsunade.


    Halfway down the hall, Tsunade suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked at Naruto, then said, "I''ll be waiting for you outside. Once you¡¯re done with your business,e out."


    "Okay."


    Shizune watched Naruto¡¯s sudden change in demeanor, and was slightly stunned. She then thought to herself, ¡®It truly was a case of one thing restraining another. Despite all my effort to persuade him, Naruto wouldn¡¯t budge, but he immediately changed his attitude the moment Tsunade-sama showed up.¡¯


    ¡®Heh, men.¡¯


    Since Naruto had already agreed, Shizune had nothing more to add. She briefly outlined the details of the Sunagakure¡¯s matters and ended the discussion, urging Naruto to head out quickly so as not to keep Tsunade waiting.


    Naruto, feeling somewhat reluctant, dragged his feet as he left.


    Tsunade stood outside in the corridor, her green robe fluttering in the wind. She had been serving as the Godaime Hokage for almost a year now, and her earlier defiance had worn down significantly.


    "If you¡¯re not fond of dealing with Sunagakure, just handle it however you want." She began, "Jiraiya sent a message. He has gathered some intel about the Akatsuki organization."


    "They seem to be entrenched in the Land of Rain, where conflicts ur frequently. He ns to investigate on his own, but he wants toe back to take you to Mount Myoboku first."


    "Is that a question for my opinion?" Naruto was slightly taken aback.


    "Yeah." Tsunade let out a breath, then reached out to pinch Naruto¡¯s cheek, "He is your teacher after all. I¡¯d like to hear your opinion."


    Naruto pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, "We should let Pervy Sagee back first. The situation in the Land of Rain isn¡¯t urgent. Since someone like Uchiha Itachi can serve the Akatsuki organization, it proves that the Akatsuki organization is definitely not an ordinary organization."


    "Rushing in with limited information could be dangerous, even for Pervy Sage."


    "Hmm, I had simr concerns." Tsunade showed a relieved smile, "Since you said so, there¡¯s no reason to hesitate."


    "You won¡¯t be assigned any missions for the time being. The reorganization of Team 7 will also be on hold until Jiraiya returns. Kakashi is no longer in charge of Team 7¡¯s missions. He has gone to further his studies."


    Naruto thought for a while, carefully savoring the meaning of Tsunade''s words. He then thought of another possibility, so he asked with a frown, "Are the higher-ups nning something with the Biju?"


    "Yeah¡­" Tsunade said, " But that¡¯s not something you need to worry about. Whether it¡¯s the Advisors or the other higher-ups, they¡¯re all outdated. Their minds are rotten and stuck in the past, always thinking about conquest and war."


    "Is it hard for you, Tsunade-sama? Arguing with the higher-ups and all?"


    "What?" Tsunade was visibly stunned for a moment, and looked at Naruto with a look of surprise, "Hard? Why would you think that?"


    "Well, they are the vige¡¯s higher-ups after all. There¡¯s bound to be some trouble, right?" Naruto didn''t understand why Tsunade reacted that way, and hesitantly said.


    "Although Tsunade-sama is the Godaime Hokage, your foundation isn¡¯t solid. If there¡¯s a big conflict with the higher-ups within your first year in office, wouldn¡¯t that be problematic?"


    "Even though Danzo and his gang are not good people and they even sent people to test me before, there is nothing we can do about him if he doesn''t admit it."


    Naruto spoke a lot in one breath, venting about what he found bothersome. Anything involving the vige¡¯s higher-ups seemed like a headache to him.


    Tsunade patted his shoulder and looked at him with a bemused expression, "Are you underestimating me?"


    "Huh?" Naruto was at a loss for words.


    His understanding of Konoha¡¯s higher-ups was mostly based on the original plot, and he definitely didn¡¯t have a deepprehension of it.


    Tsunade reached out again, this time pinching Naruto¡¯s cheeks with both hands, and asked with a smile, "What do you think the vige is built on?"


    "It''s probably a coalition of nsing together, forming a collective of mutual support, abandoning prejudice, and based on the foundation of forging the sign of reconciliation¡­" Naruto said intermittently.


    "That was in the textbooks, but it¡¯s been so long, I¡¯ve forgotten."


    "You can¡¯tpletely trust what¡¯s in books." Tsunade said with a smile, "The vige was built by the Shodaime Hokage through force, whether it was the Uchiha n or other ns."


    "It was power that allowed Konoha to emerge from the long wars."


    "Wasn¡¯t the Shodaime Hokage a peace lover?" Naruto gulped and said with a wry smile.


    "Loving peace and loving conflict, is that the same thing?" Tsunade asked back, "True peace has never existed in the Shinobi World. Wherever there are people, conflict will always continue."


    "The old man¡¯s Will of Fire is certainly admirable. Thend of Konoha is full of life and endless vitality."


    "But at its core, Konoha was once a vige established through power and maintained peace in the Shinobi World through strength. There¡¯s no reason that would change now.¡±


    ¡°So why would you think I¡¯d shy away from conflict with the higher-ups?"


    "Tsunade-sama, aren¡¯t you the Hokage?" Naruto was dumbfounded, "Okay, it¡¯s not that I think you wouldn¡¯t dare, it¡¯s just that it seems troublesome. And arguing won¡¯t solve the problem."


    "Arguing won¡¯t solve the problem, indeed." Tsunade nodded, agreeing with him, "And I don¡¯t intend to argue with those old fogies."


    "Don''t underestimate me, brat. I have a lot of people supporting me. What¡¯s so special about the higher-ups? Why do you think they can restrict me?"


    "If they truly had the ability, why aren¡¯t they Hokage?"


    "This¡­" Naruto felt a new realization sink into his mind, recognizing that Tsunade was reshaping his understanding of this world.


    "Is it because of power?" He asked tentatively.


    "Looks like you finally get it." Tsunade seemed satisfied, and let go of his slightly swollen cheeks, "The position of Hokage has never been earned by reputation alone, it¡¯s won through power."


    "Within the framework of the vige, we do need to be more cautious and be mindful to certain impacts. But on some matters, even if I disagree with them, the higher-ups can''t do anything about it."


    "Who do they think they are? Just a bunch of old geezers. Sandaime was too gentle and gave them too much respect. I don''t agree. Why should they have a say over you?"


    "They can keep dreaming!"

 Chapter 236 That’s an Order

    Chapter 236 That¡¯s an Order


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    Naruto waspletely stunned. He had always thought the Shinobi World had entered a semi-peaceful era, with the Five Great Countries bncing each other and the Five Great Shinobi Viges holding absolute power.


    The authority of the Kage was constantly challenged, asionally facing assassination attempts by terrorists like Orochimaru.


    But in reality, the Shinobi World is still a ce where the strong prey on the weak.


    This world still revered strength above all. As long as one can replicate the strength of Hashirama Senju, they could even trample over civilizations and reshuffle the Shinobi World.


    Naruto always thought that was something only viins like Madara and Obito would do. But in this world, there are no true heroes or viins¡­ only the strong and the weak.


    ¡®The bigger your fist, the louder your voice, and everything you do is right.¡¯


    ¡®It turns out that the image of Sandaime had deeply influenced me, making me mistakenly believe that the Hokage was weak.¡¯


    ¡®Fake Hokage: Sandaime! Constantly pressured by the advisors, remaining silent under Danzo''s assassinations, andpromising with every sigh.¡¯


    ¡®Real Hokage: Shodaime! Beat up Kyubi! Trampled Uchiha Madara! Gave away the Biju at will! Forcing peace in the Shinobi World!


    Tsunade is not the Sandaime, and neither is Naruto. They have no personal ties to those higher-ups, so why should they amodate them?


    Strength, at its core, is still about strength.


    What Tsunade just said boils down to one message: Get stronger, aim for the peak of power even higher than Hashirama¡¯s and be a legend, so that Konoha would be so quiet that only one voice could be heard.


    Whether he¡¯s a Jinchuriki of a Biju or some other strange kind of person, it will no longer be an issue.


    This is reality, very straightforward, but he likes it very much.


    In his original vision, Tsunade should have a calmer strategy to deal with the higher-ups. Who would¡¯ve thought she never nned to talk nicely from the start? The Hokage doesn¡¯t need a reason to refuse the higher-ups¡¯ suggestions.


    It was never that the Hokage was ipetent, but that the Sandaime Hokage was ipetent, and even the Yondaime Hokage was not verypetent. When the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage were the Hokage, were the higher-ups even a factor?


    For Tsunade, the Konoha Vige isn¡¯t just her hometown, it¡¯s also the legacy left by her grandfather. The Senju n might be diluted among the masses, but they haven¡¯tpletely disappeared.


    At least she is still here, so the bloodline of Senju n still exists here.


    In the end, Tsunade has only one meaning:


    To hell with the higher-ups.


    "So, do you understand now?" Tsunade''s eyes narrowed and a hint of a rxed smile appeared in her eyes. "No matter the time, power can always move people''s hearts more than reason."


    "I understand." Naruto nodded and his mind began to be active.


    Tsunade¡¯s idea was for Naruto to be stronger, and no longer became a subject to the scrutiny of the higher-ups or other forces. To be able to protect himself and those he cares about, shielding them from harm.


    But what Naruto is thinking is: ¡®When I be strong enough, I wouldn¡¯t need to act human anymore! Any vague or abstract moral constraints wouldn¡¯t matter to me!¡¯


    ¡®The peak of strength is the freedom to be myself!¡¯


    ¡®Hmm!¡¯ The two exchanged nces, nodded at the same time, and gradually began to understand everything.


    After leaving the Hokage Tower, Naruto first went to Konoha Hospital and reluctantly visited Temari for the mission. Initially, he had some concerns in his heart, but Tsunade''s words made him suddenly enlightened.


    ¡®Why overthink it? If the sky falls, there will be someone to hold it up. I just need to confidently move forward. The rtionship between Sunagakure and Konoha? It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯


    ¡®If the rtionship between Konoha and Sunagakure can only be maintained by a handful of individuals, then it¡¯s better to just let it fall apart.¡¯


    So, a visit is just a visit. He could say whatever he wanted, and acted however he pleased. There is no need to have any psychological burden.


    Naruto pushed open the hospital room door with a creak.


    Then he silently closed it again.


    ¡®Seriously, changing clothes without locking the door? Is this how casual things are in Sunagakure? Damn it, with a personality that nasty, who would''ve thought she¡¯d be into pure white?¡¯


    "Cough, knock knock knock!"


    Naruto stood outside the ward and knocked on the door as if nothing had happened. He knew Temari was changing inside but pretended not to know, deceiving himself!


    First of all, he really wasn¡¯t a pervert!


    Secondly, he didn¡¯t even like white underwear!


    A few minutester, Temari¡¯s uneasy voice came from inside the room.


    "It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s fine now."


    "Oh." Naruto pushed the door open and entered with a nonchnt look on his face, as if the scene just now had never happened.


    On the other hand, Temari seemed a little restless. She was originally sitting on the bed, but as soon as Naruto entered, she stood up immediately. Her face looked a little stiff, and her eyes were slightly drooped.


    Who said that catching a girl changing must lead to awkwardness and a romanticedy? Naruto effortlessly diffused the tension without showing any emotion.


    Temari¡¯s injuries seemed to have almost healed, and her blue and white striped hospital gown was neatly folded on the bed. She had changed into a loose white shirt and a modest ck knee-length skirt.


    Generally, this kind of outfit only appears in more formal asions, such as signing ceremonies, or diplomatic meetings with Konoha.


    Given Temari''s status as the Sunagakure¡¯s Princess, Naruto could roughly guess where she was preparing to go after changing into this outfit.


    "Where are you headed?" Naruto asked.


    "Ah, to the Hokage Tower. Someone from Konoha hase to inform me¡­" Temari¡¯s face showed a bit of struggle. "You don''t like it? I can change back."


    "You¡¯re not fully healed yet, are you?" Naruto asked.


    "Huh? I guess I¡¯m mostly healed." Temari was indeed very nervous. She had been thinking of meeting Naruto, but she hadn¡¯t expected it to happen so suddenly. This made her hands and feet start to sweat.


    "Let¡¯s leave it for today. Just go there in a few days." Naruto said with a slightly firm tone, "I''ll have someone tell the people in the Hokage Tower to wait until you''ve recovered from your injuries before going for the talks."


    Hearing this, Temari pursed her lips slightly.


    "Will it be troublesome?"


    "Not really. The way Konoha¡¯s higher-ups do things is always like this, so you need to learn to appropriately refuse Konoha¡¯s requests." Naruto said.


    Temari let out a small gasp, unsure of what to say.


    Although Naruto was speaking on her behalf, it was impossible for her to really go along with everything he said.


    After all, this concerned Konoha and Sunagakure, and Naruto was still a Konoha¡¯s Shinobi. If this caused Naruto to offend Konoha¡¯s higher-ups, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it.


    "That''s decided, let¡¯s leave that matter aside for now." Naruto said, ncing at Temari. His eyes moved downward, and he couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.


    She was wearing shoes meant for going outside, and her eyes were a little hesitant. Perhaps she felt that it was necessary to go to the Hokage Tower to keep the appointment, and she seemed to be wavering about what Naruto said.


    Naruto could understand this. After all, the lives and fates of the three Sunagakure¡¯s siblings were still somewhat tied to Konoha. With Konoha¡¯s support, Gaara¡¯s path to bing Kazekage would be smoother.


    "Temari."


    "Huh?" Temari''s back straightened as if she had been electrocuted. "What is it?"


    Her voice carried a hint of pleading, and if she spoke any slower, a tremor could be heard. Naruto could sense her nervousness, as her whole was trembling.


    "Take off your shoes." He said. And after a moment''s thought, he added, "That¡¯s an order."

 Chapter 237 Improper Relationship?

    Chapter 237 Improper Rtionship?


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    Temari''s legs were long and slender, and the parts not covered by her skirt exposed a significant portion of her pale, white skin.


    The anime world is truly outrageous, as the girls'' legs are ridiculously fair.


    However, Naruto''s attention wasn''t on her legs. He was focused on her feet as Temari sat on the edge of the bed, bending over slowly to remove her shoes. She first took off the left shoe, revealing short white socks.


    "Do I need to take off the other one too?" She asked, looking up.


    "Yes." Naruto''s reply was brief.


    Sincest year, Temari seemed to have developed a certain addiction to Naruto, finding it hard to resist his orders. However, this was actually the first official order Naruto had ever given her.


    Remove her shoes.


    "¡­ Okay." Temari seemed a little hesitant, but did not show any resistance and did as she was told.


    She slowly took off her shoes, now both feet were wearing white socks, resting one atop the other. She kept her eyes lowered, avoiding Naruto¡¯s gaze, and her whole body was visibly reserved.


    However, this reservation was different from Hinata¡¯s pure shyness. Naruto could tell that part of Temari¡¯s reservation was due to...


    ¡®It was absurd, downright ridiculous.¡¯


    But Naruto had started to confront this rtionship head-on. Regardless of its nature, he would make use of it. After all, Temari didn''t have genuine feelings for him; it was just apulsion.


    Tsunade¡¯s words had changed his mindset. There was nothing to hide from. Strength could move people more than reason. So it was better to be stronger.


    "And the socks?" She looked up at Naruto with an embarrassed expression.


    In reality, there was no need to remove the socks. Naruto had asked Temari to take off her shoes only to deter her from going to the Hokage Tower. He wanted her to rest properly in the hospital for a few days, while also letting Konoha¡¯s higher-ups cool their heels.


    In this Sunagakure¡¯s farce, Konoha¡¯s higher-ups yed the role of opportunists. They leveraged the agreement signed with Temari to maintain a dominant position, ensuring a win-win oue no matter how things unfolded.


    Temari, being in a vulnerable position, could only endure in silence, even if she knew the Konoha higher-ups were deliberately making things difficult for her. She had already prepared herself to make concessions in the negotiations.


    In such a situation, it was hard for her to maintain herposure.


    As for Naruto, if the higher-ups did this to gain more benefits for Konoha, he would not have to care. But these guys were targeting the Jinchuriki agreement, and they were also trying to take action against him in a roundabout way.


    This made him a little irritated. Even though he was just a genin, that was only because Konoha¡¯s Genin promotion system was slow. It didn¡¯t mean he couldn''t interfere with the higher-ups¡¯ orders. After all, his position as Konoha¡¯s ¡®Prince¡¯ was well established.


    As long as he doesn''t want to pretend anymore, he couldy everything out in the open.


    Given his body¡¯s heritage, he owed Konoha nothing.


    ¡®The socks?¡¯


    Naruto¡¯s intention was purely to prevent Temari from heading to the Hokage Tower. Looking at those short white socks, he paused for a moment before saying, "Yeah."


    Temari blushed slightly and slowly took off her socks, revealing her snow-white feet, which she ced neatly together. Her feet were incredibly fair, so pale it was almost absurd, as if they could glow.


    The five pink toes syed slightly, and the edges are clean and transparent.


    Temari''s face gradually turned crimson because Naruto remained silent and his gaze is fixed on her feet. This made her even more nervous, not knowing what he would say next.


    The anticipation and excitement mixed with nervousness slowly dyed her earlobes red.


    ¡®Hiss!¡¯


    Naruto nced at Temari and couldn''t help but take a sharp breath, ¡®What was this odd sense of cuteness tinged with an improper rtionship?¡¯


    Naruto had never expected to see such an expression on Temari.


    His order had be a shackle that Temari couldn''t defy.


    More importantly, she didn''t hate it. Because a year had passed, and Naruto had been hiding from her for a year. That feeling and those unspoken words continued to stir her heart, independent of her own personality.


    It was a secret she couldn¡¯t share with anyone, an itch deep in her heart. Everyone has their own unique quirks that cannot be exposed, but do not affect their everyday lives.


    But this didn¡¯t mean Temari had lost her reason, on the contrary, she was very clear-headed. She was merely ying a different role, exploring another side of herself. However, if Naruto were to ask her to kill Gaara or betray the Sunagakure, she could immediately break free of this shackle.


    Naruto had never intended to use Temari for anything significant. He merely wanted to stabilize her, nothing more.


    "Is this alright?" Temari asked nervously.


    This feeling was rather peculiar. The word ¡®order¡¯ had bound her, yet it also created a faint connection between the two of them, at least easing their rtionship somewhat.


    "No, it¡¯s not alright." Naruto pointed at Temari, "You¡¯re too tense. I don¡¯t want to see you act all timid in front of me. Just be how you normally are."


    Naruto left Konoha Hospital.


    ¡®Temari''s problem was temporarily resolved¡­ At least on the surface, it had returned to normal.¡¯


    Naruto was already very satisfied with this, and he felt much happier the whole day.


    ¡­


    Hokage Tower.


    "That girl from Sunagakure cannot be discharged from the hospital for the time being, so she won¡¯t be able toe over these next few days." Naruto said indifferently to a member of the Root.


    "Pass this message to Danzo-sama, so as not to waste his time."


    Aburame Torune was stunned for a moment. After all, a Genin had no right to walk up to him directly, let alone cancel Danzo''s ns with such a casual tone.


    It all happened rather suddenly, like a poorly dressed child approaching a king and casually informing him that there would be no food today.


    Though the matter was a bit absurd, Torune still asked solemnly, "Why?"


    "You don''t need to know why, just tell Danzo-sama directly." Naruto, dressed casually and with a rxed demeanor, pointed at himself and said, "Tell him I said so."


    Torune did not regard Naruto as an ordinary Genin. After all, he knew some information about Naruto and that there were two of the the three Legendary Sannin behind him. After a moment''s hesitation, he nodded in agreement.


    Naruto silently moved to the window, awaiting Danzo¡¯s anger, his gaze drifting toward the distance.


    Danzo''s base of operations wasn¡¯t in the Hokage Tower, but he was in the Hokage Tower because he needed to discuss something. asionally, a Shinobi would walk through the corridor, hurriedly carrying documents.


    Torune came out, followed by another person. It was not Danzo, but Yamanaka Fu.

 Chapter 238 Uzumaki Naruto! Starting From Becoming The Clan Head!

    Chapter 238 Uzumaki Naruto! Starting From Bing The n Head!


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    Years ago, when the Root was rebuilt, all the ns with secret techniques contributed their members, including the Uchiha n, the Yamanaka n, and the Aburame n.


    Because Shino was young, Torune volunteer to join the Root in his ce. His outstanding abilities earned him the role of Danzo¡¯s left hand, while the other was Fu, who was selected to join the Root during the same period.


    With long orange hair and a square, honest face, Fu¡¯s hairstyle was like the ¡®F4 leader¡¯.


    Naruto stared at Fu, thinking ¡®Soul-based Ninjutsu should be useless against me.¡¯


    Naruto knew that his soul should be much thicker than others, although he didn''t know how much thicker it was.


    However, thest time Ino had tried to use the Mind Body Switch Technique on him, he had effortlessly pushed her back.


    As Fu approached, Naruto¡¯s mind suddenly became active. He really wanted Fu to use the Mind Body Switch Technique on him, to see if he could blow his consciousness apart with one punch.


    ¡®As for venomous insects¡­¡¯ Naruto nced at Torune, ¡®Kyubi¡¯s Chakra should be able to resist it. It would be great if I could learn Senjutsu, but unfortunately, the system hadn¡¯t unlocked that option yet.¡¯


    ¡®A while ago, when rescuing the three siblings, the system made a series of chimes, but the option panel never popped up. Damn, what kind of lousy system is this? It just takes it easy when I take it easy?¡¯


    As Naruto mentally cursed the system, Fu approached him with a nk expression and said, "Danzo-sama understands, you may leave now."


    Hearing this, Naruto was somewhat surprised, ¡®That old thief Danzo was not angry.¡¯


    After a brief moment of thought, he decided to let it go for now, nodding as he replied, "Alright."


    With that, he turned and slowly walked away.


    ¡®This is just a test. There would be plenty of opportunities to stir things upter. There is no need to rush now. In any case, I will not give up squeezing out the higher-ups.¡¯


    Naruto firmly believed in one principle: if they won¡¯t let you open a window, then break through the roof.


    Since the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t stop their ns to develop Jinchuriki, he would just push them out and take their ce himself. Not bing Hokage didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t be a part of the higher-ups.


    Since he couldn¡¯t influence their decisions, he would just be one of them!


    In fact, with Naruto¡¯s current resources, bing part of the higher-ups was far easier than bing Hokage. As such thing didn¡¯t require any specific qualifications or barriers.


    It was akin to the process of bing a councilor. There''s no age restrictions, and all one needs is just support from others.


    He didn¡¯t need to truly serve as a higher-up, he just needed a nominal title to block the higher-ups from pursuing their ns with Jinchuriki. After all, he didn¡¯t have the time to deal with all the misceneous matters, and he didn¡¯t actually intend to turn into a full-fledged higher-up.


    Theoretically, it is not possible, but in practice, whether it is possible or not is just a matter of a word from the Hokage''s inner circle.


    Hokage''s Office.


    "You want to be part of the higher-ups?" Tsunade turned around and stared at Naruto with skeptical look. "Is this the solution you came up with?"


    "Um, is that not okay?" Naruto asked, feeling a little embarrassed, "Isn¡¯t this what you were hinting at, Tsunade-sama?"


    Seeing the skeptical look on Tsunade¡¯s face, Naruto realized that his idea might have diverged from what Tsunade had in mind. However, he still didn''t quite understand where the problem was.


    "It¡¯s not entirely out of the question, as there aren¡¯t any age restrictions for the higher-ups." Tsunade said, tapping her desk with a furrowed brow, "After all, Gaara is about the same age as you, and he''s almost about to be the Godaime Kazekage."


    "That''s good to hear." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.


    "But¡­ you said I hinted at this idea?" Tsunade looked at Naruto with aplicated expression.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± He asked cautiously.


    "What I meant was for you to refuse them face-to-face, humiliate those old geezers, and send their ridiculous proposal back down their throats." Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair.


    "You¡¯ve really taken a wrong turn here!" She pointed at Naruto and said with mix of frustration and disappointment.


    Hearing this, Naruto''s face was filled with ck lines, ¡®So she was just trying to get me to vent her personal grudges? Damn it, this crafty olddy.¡¯


    "In any case, if you want to hold a nominal position among the higher-ups, it¡¯s not impossible." Tsunade continued, "After all, you are fairly mature and steady in your actions, a bit sharper than that Gaara from Sunagakure."


    "But first, you need a status that fits the role of a high-ranking official."


    Naruto understood what she meant. It¡¯s like how Danzo was the disciple of the Nidaime Hokage and arade of the Sandaime Hokage. Choji''s father, for instance, was arade of the Yondaime Hokage and the n Head of the Akimichi n.


    If Naruto wanted to join the higher-ups, the other requirements were manageable, but he at least needed a respectable status.


    Being Jiraiya¡¯s disciple was good, but among the upper echelon, everyone was part of the Hokage''s circle, so it wasn¡¯t particrly special. As for being a n Head?


    ¡®Currently, I was alone. Unless I married into another n, otherwise...¡¯


    The office suddenly fell silent. After pondering for a moment, Naruto looked up and said, "How about bing the n Head of the Uzumaki n?"


    "Pfft!" Tsunade spat out the drink she was sipping, and while still holding the cup, she asked with dumbfounded expression, "What did you just say?"


    Naruto looked at the clear alcohol stains at the corner of Tsunade''s lips and repeated himself seriously.


    "Be the n Head of the Uzumaki n."


    "You are the only one in the n, right?" Tsunade wiped her mouth with a piece of paper, her expression turning serious, "Are you kidding me?"


    Naruto remained calm and exined, "I¡¯ve gone through the major events in Konoha¡¯s history. The Uzumaki n has deep ties with Konoha. After verifying it multiple times, I have confirmed that I am a member of the Uzumaki n."


    "As for the previous Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki¡­"


    "Cough, cough." Tsunade interrupted, then stood up and said nervously, "Since you want to be the n Head, then go ahead and be the n head. It¡¯s just a nominal title anyway."


    "I''ll ask Shizune help you submit the paperworkter. It''s not that troublesome. Although your idea is bold, it might not necessarily seed. Even so, we should go through the procedure first."


    "Ah! We still have to go through proper procedures?" Narutomented.


    Sakura raised her head from the pile of documents, her eyes showing a hint of fatigue, but it slowly disappeared.


    "What are you talking about? You¡¯re not trying to threaten them, so this is your only option." Tsunade said, pressing her tea cup on the desk and frowning slightly. "Once Jiraiya returns, there might be a breakthrough."


    Tsunade spoke ambiguously. When Naruto mentioned the previous Jinchuriki, she seemed a bit tense. Naruto noted everything, but didn¡¯t press further.


    "Alright then."


    He didn¡¯t continue to pester Tsunade, as there were enough troublesome matters piling up at the moment. Bing the n Head of the Uzumaki n was just a concept, so he would first mention it to Tsunade.


    Naruto didn''t care whether this thing could seed or not. Even if it didn''t, it would still annoy the higher-ups.


    He coulde up with a lot of methods like this. Even if it meant wasting the higher-ups'' time, he was determined to keep trying, annoying them back and forth.

 Chapter 239 After Insomnia, Do You Want to Look at the Stars?

    Chapter 239 After Insomnia, Do You Want to Look at the Stars?


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    After leaving the Hokage Tower, seeing that it was still early, Naruto asked around but couldn''t find Sakura, so he simply went home andy down.


    Kurama had been going out more often recently, like a cat frequently sneaking off for secret affairs. If Naruto didn¡¯t know Kuramacked certain anatomy, he might have thought Kurama was getting overly frisky.


    It wasn¡¯t until nightfall that Naruto woke up, and his stomach growled with hunger.


    He was never the most disciplined person. With no one around to manage him, his lifestyle habits were far from ideal. Wandering around the open-air balcony, he noticed that Kurama still hadn¡¯t returned.


    "Damn, could Kurama really have run away with a female dog?" Naruto muttered.


    The balcony was silent, the distant horizon ck as ink, with the hot midsummer night breeze blowing gently.


    Naruto stood there spacing out for a while, then thought of the unfinished mission in the Land of Snow, and immediately felt a wave of mncholy. Theplete Flying Thunder God Technique was like a thorn in his heart, and he could never forget it.


    If not for that ident, he might have already acquired theplete Flying Thunder God Technique by now. But some things came up in between, and Koyuki had also left.


    With the mission target gone, the mission itself stalled.


    After standing dazed for a while, Naruto snapped back to reality.


    ¡®Jiraiya was about to return to the vige soon, and once he did, the preparations to uproot the Akatsuki would need to start. ording to Tsunade, she wants me to learn Senjutsu first.¡¯


    ¡®But Senjutsu¡­¡¯ Naruto instinctively felt some resistance towards the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, ¡®That mysterious prophecy ability, seeing the light of the Child of Prophecy¡­¡¯


    ¡®If we really meet, who knows if that old toad would be able to see the otherworldly soul within me?¡¯


    Naruto wasn''t entirely sure, but the Chakra of Asura seemed to have disappeared from his body.


    After all, while the system was ratherzy, its authority appeared to be higher than the level of this world, like a key from another realm, ruthlessly piercing Asura''s vital point.


    For the exact situation, he would have to wait and see after Jiraiya returned. If there''s really no other choice, he might just have to bite the bullet and visit Mount Myoboku to meet the old toad.


    Looking at the gradually darkening night, Naruto lowered his gaze for a moment, then turned, locked the door, and stepped out.


    The Hokage Tower was brightly lit.


    In the document room, the quiet rustling of a pen echoed in the office.


    Knock, knock, knock.


    A sudden knock broke the silence.


    Sakura looked up from the pile of documents, her eyes showing a hint of fatigue, but it quickly disappeared.


    "Come in."


    The door opened.


    Before anyone stepped in, a voice preceded them.


    "So this is why I find you during the day. Were you working overtime here?" Naruto leanedzily against the doorframe, looking at Sakura with a slight smile.


    "Doesn''t working overtime all day get boring? You don''t even have any time for yourself."


    "Boring?" Dark Sakura lifted her eyes slightly, set down the pen in her hand, and asked seriously, "If not working overtime, what should a normal person be doing at this time?"


    "Who knows? A normal person is probably working a night shift too." Naruto said as he walked towards her, moths fluttering around the ceiling light. "If it were me, I''d probably be lying down and sleeping."


    He noticed the word ¡®normal¡¯ that Sakura mentioned, his eyelid twitched slightly, but he managed to keep a calm expression.


    "Lying down and sleeping?" Sakura murmured, repeating the phrase, "But I can''t fall asleep. I''ve slept long enough. and when I want to close my eyes, I just can''t."


    The desk was positioned against one side of the wall, and the ceiling light cement was unreasonable. It wasn''t hung in the center of the office but off to the left near the wall As a result, the desk can only be tucked into a corner.


    "Isn''t there anything in particr you want to do?" Naruto asked as he stood in front of her, blocking the light and looking down at her.


    "Yes, kill her." Sakura raised her eyes and looked up at Naruto, "Would you feel bad?"


    Naruto understood that the so-called ¡®she¡¯ should be Pink Sakura, ¡®Did the second personality want to kill the main personality? But this kind of thing is indeed not impossible.¡¯


    Naruto didn''t want to avoid it, and he wanted to find out what was really going on.


    "No." He replied without changing his expression.


    "Really?" Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Then I might actually do it, you know? You''ll never see the familiar her again."


    "It doesn''t matter." Naruto''s heart skipped a beat and he became nervous.


    Not because he was unsure of his choice, but because such a matter wasn''t easy to decide. However, given that it was someone familiar, he couldn''t help but feel something.


    "Just kidding." A smile suddenly appeared on Sakura¡¯s face. "I can''t touch her, and she doesn''t even know I exist. For her, it''s probably just like taking a nap."


    "Ironic, isn''t it? I haven''t slept for an entire year, but my consciousness is extremely clear."


    Naruto didn''t show any surprise in his eyes, he just looked at her calmly. He turned sideways, allowing half of the light to illuminate one side of Sakura''s body.


    "Insomnia, huh? That sounds pretty serious." Naruto''s hand reached towards the desk, pressing down on the documents, "There''s something I''d like to know."


    "About her?" Sakura''s smile remained.


    "No." Naruto shook his head, "I sleep well and spend most of the day lying down and sleeping, so I''m sorry I can''t empathize with you."


    His hand, which was pressing on the document on the desktop, slowly crawled forward inch by inch, like a slowly growing green tree. His fingers gradually extended towards the other side.


    "But I''m curious, what does a person think about when they''re struggling with insomnia? Do they get up to eat, or feel like going out for a walk? In the summer, do they go look at the stars? In the winter nights, do they step outside to watch the snow?"


    "I don''t know. I... I never did any of that." Sakura was a little surprised, her hand curling slightly.


    She had originally expected Naruto to ask some clich¨¦ questions, like ¡®What''s wrong?¡¯ or ¡®Why do you think that way?¡¯ or say something along the lines of ¡®Everyone is equally important to me¡¯.


    But no matter what, she hadn''t expected him to ask that, so she began to reflect and think carefully.


    "When my parents are asleep, sometimes I stand in the kitchen, or I take out old photo albums and look through them over and over. Most of the time, I just close my eyes like a normal person."


    "Maybe try doing something different asionally." Naruto turned his palm up in an inviting gesture, his gaze calm, as if he were discussing a simple, ordinary matter.


    "Let''s go out for a walk and look at the stars."

 Chapter 240 When You Can’t Sleep, Go Up to the Roof

    Chapter 240 When You Can¡¯t Sleep, Go Up to the Roof


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    "Yeah, okay." Sakura''s first response was to agree. After a few seconds, she looked up at him, "Why?"


    "What do you mean, why?" Naruto asked back.


    "You''re not pitying me, are you?" Sakura asked seriously, "Do I look that pitiful now? It was just a made-up story."


    "How does it feel to be fooled?"


    "It doesn''t matter if you lie to me. I don''t mind." Naruto said, grabbing Sakura''s hand and pulling her up, "But you can''t lie to yourself."


    "Whether you''re just being mysterious, making up a story, or simply messing with me, it doesn''t matter."


    "But there''s one thing¡­ Tell me now: do you want to go out with me or not?"


    Sakura was silent, staring at him for several moments. She then nced down at the unfinished documents, staring at them for a while as if hesitating.


    Naruto noticed that Sakura''s responses seemed slower than before, and she took longer to think things through before answering.


    "Okay." She finally said.


    Sakura got up slowly, took a sip of water, and, before leaving, switched off the office lights with a click. As the door creaked shut behind them, she turned around and spoke hesitantly, "Sometimes, I stay in the Hokage Tower all night, or I just sleep here."


    Naruto didn''t know about these habits, so he didn''tment. He simply hummed lightly in response. In the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoed unevenly.


    "You usually work overtime when you can''t sleep?" Naruto asked.


    "How is that possible? I''m not that stupid." Sakura walked beside him with her hands behind her back. "There''s no way to finish the work. Even if I finish it today, there will be more tomorrow."


    She waved her hand and made an exaggerated circle.


    ¡°It''s endless. There¡¯s no way to truly end it.¡±


    Outside the Hokage Tower, the summer stars shone brightly, and the night wind was cool.


    The two of them paused at the intersection before Naruto pointed in a direction. In moments like this, taking the lead and guiding Sakura would be more conducive to their conversation.


    He wanted to understand what was going on with Sakura and resolve it. He knew this couldn''t be dragged on any longer.


    "I know a ce where there aren''t many people, and the rooftop gives a clear view of the stars."


    "Where?" Sakura asked, still a bit puzzled but curious enough to follow his gaze, peering through the scattered lights toward the darker night.


    It was a secluded spot, located in an inconspicuous area of the vige. It looked like an illegal construction, but that was fine, as the whole Konoha was practically a vige built atop a maze of haphazard structures.


    Under the night sky, they climbed up a building nestled within the trees. Ascending a crooked staircase and crossing a makeshift wooden bridge, they reached what appeared to be an abandoned rooftop.


    With a soft thud, Sakuranded steadily, the night breeze lifting her pink hair from her forehead. Looking up, she saw a half-ruined rooftop, the other half having copsed.


    Under the faint light, the rooftop''s jagged edge, overgrown with weeds, was visible. The view was wide and unobstructed, as if the horizon had opened up, without any buildings blocking the sight.


    The surroundings were eerily quiet and pitch ck. In the distance, a few faint lights could be seen, making all of Konoha appear as if it were slumbering. Above them, a vast, clear sky, dotted with stars, bathed the vige in a soft glow.


    "This is it." Naruto said as he walked to the other side of the roof, "It''s my first time here too. I found it while wandering around aimlessly before."


    "I''ve always wanted toe up here and take a look, but I never had the chance."


    He didn''t bring up Sakura''s situation or what had just transpired in the Hokage¡¯s Office. It was as if he had forgotten all of it or simply didn''t care.


    ¡°So, does it look nice?¡±


    "Yes." Sakura couldn''t bring herself to say anything flippant this time. She looked serious, standing on the abandoned rooftop and gazing up at the vast, bowl-like sky.


    "Don''t you have anything you want to ask?" Sakura turned to look at Naruto.


    "No." Naruto replied as he sat down. He pulled a drink from his storage seal, popped it open, and handed it to Sakura, "Here."


    Sakura took the drink, then looked up and asked again, "There''s really nothing you want to know?"


    "I do want to know, but I''m not concerned with anything else. I just want to know if you''ve run into some trouble." Naruto said as he opened another can for himself, his hand casually pulling on the tab.


    "You are my onlypanion, right? If you trust me enough, I hope you''ll speak up on your own rather than me having to ask."


    "How do I even talk about something like this?" Sakura gazed up at the stars again. "No one in their right mind would believe it. A second personality came out and I couldn''t sleep for a whole year."


    "You''re probably the only one who believes it, and you''re the only one I can tell."


    "It''s because I don''t care, so I''m toozy to question it." Naruto said half-jokingly, then nced at Sakura again, "In fact, it doesn''t make much difference to me. You are also very good."


    "If possible, it wouldn''t be so bad if things stayed this way."


    "Just ''not so bad¡¯?" Sakura''s expression suddenly lightened, and she leaned forward slightly. Her tone became drawn out, causing Naruto to feel a shiver down his spine.


    ¡®Here ites again, something all too familiar.¡¯


    "It''s so quiet here. Usually, people who hang out in this kind of ce are couples, right?" Sakura asked with a yful smile.


    "Not necessarily. It could just be people like us." Naruto said with a serious expression, pointing at himself and then at Sakura, " Don''t say weird things, especially at a time like this, it can easily be misunderstood."


    "Eh? But today, I''m wearing¡­" Before she could finish her words, Naruto quickly covered her mouth, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.


    "It doesn''t matter what you''re wearing, you don''t need to share that with me." He said tiredly.


    But Sakura stubbornly started to lift a corner of her shirt, only to be interrupted by the sharp-eyed Naruto, who sternly warned her.


    "Don''t do anything strange."


    "Hehe, are you nervous?" Sakura asked with a smile as she moved his hand away, "You didn''t care at all before. No matter what I did, you were indifferent."


    "So¡­" Sakura suddenly leaned in closer, "Let''s do more together!"


    "Things we''ve never done before."


    Her chest was almost pressed against Naruto''s, her fair arms hanging loosely at her sides. She had a rxed and happy smile on her face, with her eyes curved into crescents.


    "After all, you kind of like me now, don''t you?"


    "That''s a different matter." Naruto stared at her with aplicated expression, ¡°We''re still young. Focus on study, uh, I mean, focus onpleting our missions."


    Naruto wanted to resolve Sakura''s issues, not by taking on everything himself, but by addressing the immediate problems she was facing. It was simr to fixing a small bug in a program. If it runs, there''s no need to dig too deep into the root cause.


    After all, even if Naruto wanted to take on everything, dealing with something asplex as a second personality was beyond his capability.


    In short, he was aiming for surface-level stability. Even if that made him seem like a scumbag, it didn''t matter. After all, being too much of a saint would just be self-torture.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 241 Do You Want To?

    Chapter 241 Do You Want To?


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    Despite Naruto''s tant attempts to brush her off, Sakura didn''t seem angry.


    "Why do you keep rejecting me?"


    "I''m not rejecting you; I never know how to reject." He retorted, saying a famous hypocritical sentence, "I already told you, this is for your own good."


    "Rtionships are supposed to develop gradually, right? Slowly deepening feelings. There''s plenty of time, so why not?"


    "You''re just brushing me off, aren''t you?" Sakura suddenly interrupted him, with a look of resentment in her eyes.


    "No." He instinctively denied.


    "Of course, you are. Every time you brush me off, you instinctively look away." Sakura''s voice grew quieter, "I just want to get closer to you, to blend in with you."


    "Don''t say something so terrifying! Damn it!" Naruto took half a step back.


    Looking at the selfless Sakura, a certain yellow-haired man''s back was soaked with cold sweat, ¡®Damn it, could she really be turning into a yandere? That would be too terrifying.¡¯ A vision of a certain young man¡¯s peaceful ck-and-white funeral photo shed through his mind, and he shook his head violently. (T/N: School Days. Rmended for scumbag.)


    The noble stranger is about to be suppressed by the yandere bloodline with split personality.


    "But... I want to leave a mark, a sign that we were together." Sakura pressed further, her eyes fixed intently on Naruto, "Today, right here, under the stars."


    Naruto blinked, his thoughts teetering on the edge of a mental 404 error.


    "I¡­" He hesitated, carefully considering how to reject her.


    "I don''t want this either." Sakura suddenly lowered her head, "I want to take things slowly too. As long as I''m with you, Naruto-kun, it''s fine¡­ Even if we''re just lifelongpanions."


    "No matter what my identity is, as long as I can be with you, I don''t care. Even if it¡¯s without a real title, even if we can''t hold hands openly, it''s fine with me."


    "But!" Sakura''s voice suddenly carried a hint of a sob, "I really can''t sleep. The nights have gotten so much longer. No matter how hard I close my eyes, it''s still 24 hours."


    "Every minute and second, I''m fully awake. At one in the morning, all the noises quiet down."


    "At two, the drunkard downstairs always ends up throwing up all over the ce near the utility pole. At four, the old man next door gets up, and by five..."


    Sakura''s voice grew increasingly agitated as she finally grabbed Naruto''s wrist.


    "I haven''t slept for an entire year. I''m not a normal person anymore. I''ve tried so hard to sleep, but nothing works."


    "I don''t want to be like this either! But I''m just a recement, never truly alive. I see this world, but I still have to go back."


    "It doesn''t matter if you''re just brushing me off or not, I just want to ask you one thing¡­ will you be with me?"


    Silence fell all around them. Naruto didn''t say anything. Sakura''s emotions were running high, and anything he said at that moment wouldn''t be right. So, the two stood there on that half-copsed rooftop for a good ten minutes, just in silence.


    "Never mind. I''m feeling much better now."


    After a long while, Sakura sniffled and let go of Naruto. She took a deep breath, and said, "Let''s go somewhere else. I can''t sleep."


    "Alright." He nced toward the other side of the dark night, where the more secluded fields of Konohay, "Anyway, let''s go down from here first."


    Actually, Naruto could agree to Sakura¡¯s request, even if it were out of pity.


    But Naruto didn''t want that. He felt empty inside, living life with a game-like mentality. Even after spending more than a year in Konoha, he still had no sense of belonging.


    Daily interactions with girls were fine, but saving someone? No, that was too much. He didn''t believe the words he said, and if he wasn''t sincere, Sakura would see right through him.


    The two walked through a rice field, navigating the narrow paths in the dark. asionally, they had to stop and turn back because a swarm of mosquitoes blocked their way.


    "Are there any stores still open thiste?"


    "I''m not sure." Naruto crouched down in an inconspicuous alley along Konoha Street, "I''ll go over and take a look. Want toe?"


    "Alright."


    They noticed someone approaching in the distance, so the two quickly vaulted over a low wall to hide on the other side.


    In the darkness, the two exchanged a nce. Naruto''s gaze remained calm, just as it had been all night, showing no intention of doing anything more.


    Sakura''s eyes were bright and her face slowly turned red.


    It was pitch ck around them, save for the faint starlight overhead. The continuous chirping of insects and the warm night breeze made Sakura sweat lightly, her eyes fluttering slightly.


    "Do you want to?"


    "Hmm???" Naruto tilted his head and gently pushed her, "What weird stuff are you talking about? Come on, let''s go check it out."


    "Tch." Sakura turned her head away, slightly annoyed, "Naruto, you''re such an idiot."


    "Why are you suddenly acting like a tsundere?" Naruto had already stood up. He nced at herzily before vaulting back over the wall.


    The grass they walked on was soft, and the air was filled with the faint musty scent of earth baked by the sun during the day. Sakura also vaulted over, and the two of them stepped on the grass one after the other, making a rustling sound.


    The fluffy texture seemed to amuse Sakura, and she stomped on it several times, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised.


    Naruto didn''t urge her, and just stood there and watched. He watched as Sakura entertained herself until she was sweaty. After she was finally satisfied, she stepped away from the grass.


    When she caught up, Naruto began to walk ahead, turning his head slightly to ask, "Is it that fun?"


    "I don''t know. I''ve never done it before. It was okay.¡± Sakura replied honestly with straightforward tone.


    A little further ahead, a convenience store was still open. Thete hour made Naruto nce over for a moment. Seeing the lights, he suddenly felt a bit tired and didn''t want Sakura to see him yawn.


    "Wait here for a bit. I''ll go grab something."


    "Alright." Sakura stood there, watching him.


    Naruto turned and walked towards the store, stifling a yawn when he was far enough away. As he stepped halfway into the shadow of the convenience store, he nced back to check on Sakura.


    She still stood there, like a slender de of wild grass.


    Satisfied, he stepped fully inside, and began to yawn unrestrainedly while standing in front of the freezer. The store owner also dozed off at the counter. When he heard the wind chimes at the door rang, he opened his eyes a little, took a look at Naruto, and promptly closed his eyes again.


    Under the bright store lights, two ice creamsnded on the counter.


    "How much?" Naruto asked.


    "Two hundred ryo." The store owner muttered and yawned heavily.


    With a rustling sound, Naruto grabbed the two ice creams and stepped outside, instantly feeling the humid heat wrap around him again. He squinted his eyes and scanned around to make sure Sakura was still standing where he left her.


    "Here." Naruto handed one of the ice creams to Sakura.


    The two found a bench to sit on, with Naruto leaning back as he licked his ice cream, and Sakura mimicking him, eating her own. Their legs were crossed, and they sat close to each other.

 Chapter 242 Why Are You Crying?

    Chapter 242 Why Are You Crying?


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    Naruto could clearly feel Sakura''s body temperature. He didn''t say anything, just looking at the dark night, while his mind drifting back to the mission in the Land of Snow.


    "What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked suddenly.


    "Now that Koyuki-chan has ran away, the mission in the Land of Snow can''t bepleted." Naruto sighed and leaned back on the bench. "As expected, I still care about it, but we can''t find her now."


    Sakura nced up at the dim streetlight partially obscured by the tree leaves and narrowed her eyes slightly.


    The trees were lush and green, providing ample shade.


    "Are you going to bring her back?¡± Sakura asked, "It may not be easy to get her to restart the Land of Snow¡¯s mission. Princess Fuun seems to be reluctant to return to the Land of Snow."


    "Maybe." Naruto said ambiguously, "Actually, we might not even need her."


    He remembered that Koyuki¡¯s ne was still in his possession, stored away in his seal space. If all else failed, he could just sneak off to the Land of Snow and finish the mission alone.


    Even though it wouldn''t be the most legitimate approach, if push came to shove, he had no choice. After all, theplete version of the Flying Thunder God Technique along with invisible kunai was not something he could give up. It was his future trump card, the opportunity to surpass even the Yondaime Hokage''s speed.


    With it, he could be the fastest man in the Shinobi World.


    "I can help you persuade her. Maybe we can restart the mission." Sakura''s voice dropped slightly as she turned to look at him, "Do you want me to join you on the mission?"


    "Of course! If the mission is restarted, how can I handle it alone?" Naruto, oblivious to her emotions, continued eating his ice cream.


    "But we definitely need to stay away from Anko. Can''t have her tagging along again. That fake Jonin."


    "Alright."


    "What''s wrong?" Naruto turned his head, "Why so quiet all of a sudden¡­"


    He stopped mid-sentence, and froze in ce. Sakura looked exhausted, her eyelids seemed to be drooping, and she looked particrly frail.


    "I''m a little sleepy." She yawned and then smiled, "Walk me home?"


    Naruto was stunned for a moment, then nodded.


    Half an hourter.


    ¡°I''m heading up. See you tomorrow." Sakura stood at the door of her house, watching the dawn gradually appear, and waved to Naruto.


    "Okay." Naruto felt a twinge of worry and voiced it directly, "Are you sure you''re alright? You haven''t felt unwell, have you?"


    "No, just a little sleepy." Sakura said with a smile in her eyes.


    Naruto couldn''t quite figure out why she seemed so happy, ¡®Was it because we spent the night together, or was it because she could finally feel what it was like to sleep?¡¯


    Even so, Naruto wasn¡¯t willing to let her go so easily.


    "Are you sure you''re okay? You said you hadn''t slept in a long time, but suddenly..."


    "I told you, I was kidding. How could anyone not sleep?" Sakura showed an expression she had never had before and looked at him with amusement.


    "Well¡­ then why are you crying?"


    "Eh?" Sakura flinched and subconsciously touched her face with her fingers, finding them wet.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    Naruto woke up in bed and took out the key Koyuki had given him, hesitating about whether to sneak out andplete the mission on his own.


    ¡®However, leaving the vige was another problem, especially with Jiraiya returning soon.¡¯


    After thinking it over, Naruto couldn¡¯te up with a safer n, so he could only put away the ne-like key.


    Hokage Tower.


    "Sakura asked for leave?" Naruto asked Tsunade with some interest.


    "Her mother came by and exined that she seems to be suffering from overexertion. No matter what they do, they can''t wake her up." Tsunade said while flipping through some documents.


    "It''s probably just fatigue causing her to sleep deeply. I believe she should be fine after a day of rest."


    "Since when do you care about her?" Tsunade asked curiously, "You two seem to have gotten closetely? That''s rare, Uzumaki Naruto."


    "You, with yourzy personality, actually caring about a teammate?"


    "What''s so strange about that? I''m just asking casually." Naruto rolled his eyes at her and said, "Anyway, as long as she''s fine."


    In truth, Naruto was worried. He had already nned to visit her house in the afternoon to check on her. After all, the way Sakura looked yesterday didn¡¯t seem like someone who was just fine.


    "Yo, Naruto, you look pretty energetic, huh?" A A loud voice rang out from the doorway.


    Standing there was Jiraiya, his white spiky hair bristling,ughing heartily.


    "Pervy Sage?" Naruto was a little surprised.


    With a snap, the popsicle broke into two halves, and ice chips sshed everywhere.


    "Here." Naruto shamelessly handed Jiraiya the smaller half.


    Jiraiya''s face twitched as he took it and he said speechlessly, "You little brat, are you really that poor? What''s with the act?"


    "I''m not poor." Naruto slurped on his popsicle and said, "I''m just being frugal, saving for when I start a family in the future."


    "Damn it!" Jiraiya took the popsicle andined grumbled while munching on it, "How much could starting a family cost? Stingy."


    Naruto ignored thement and changed the subject.


    "Tsunade-sama said you went to investigate the Akatsuki organization. What was the result, Pervy Sage?"


    "The result?" Jiraiya was not used to being questioned about his intel, and said awkwardly, "Probably somewhere within the Land of Rain, right? Has Tsunade already told you all this?"


    "Hmm? Is there something you can''t tell me?" Naruto looked at Jiraiya in confusion, "Pervy Sage, you''re not underestimating me, are you?"


    "It''s not that, haha." Jiraiya felt a little guilty after his thoughts were seen through, so he quickly came up with an excuse, "Anyway, the Land of Rain is always shrouded in secrecy. It''s still too dangerous for a little Genin like you."


    "I''ll go in and investigate first. Let¡¯s talk about it again after I get detailed intel."


    ¡®Detailed intel?¡¯ Naruto''s eyelids twitched slightly, ¡®What Icked the least was intel.¡¯


    But he couldn¡¯t say that outright, so he had to find a way to tag along with Jiraiya.


    ¡®We mustn¡¯t let the Akatsuki fight in a group. Splitting them up and taking them down one by one was the safest strategy.¡¯


    "I''m not some little brat. If Uchiha Itachi shows up again, I¡¯ll definitely take him down." Naruto grinned, "Give me a bit more time, and even if the whole Akatsuki organizationes at me..."


    Bang!


    Jiraiya smacked the back of Naruto¡¯s head and said, "Kid, stop spouting nonsense. Dealing with the Akatsuki organization isn''t something for youngsters like you to worry about."


    Naruto was quite speechless at Jiraiya''s overbearing guardian attitude and showed his discontent through his actions. He looked disdainfully at Jiraiya and spat on the roadside.


    "Ptui!"


    Seeing Naruto¡¯s cheeky expression, Jiraiya was instantly annoyed, and said through gritted teeth, "You little brat! You sure are infuriating!"


    "Anyway no matter what, I''m going, Pervy Sage, so deal with it." Naruto scratched his face, "I''m a perfect Jinchuriki. I won''t be able to sleep well if I don''t kill them."


    <span style="background:#FFFFFF">Jiraiya stared at Naruto, who was looking like a total rascal, and waspletely speechless, ¡®How did this kid turn out like this?¡¯

 Chapter 243 There Is No Kyubi in My Body Anymore

    Chapter 243 There Is No Kyubi in My Body Anymore


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    "Alright, alright, we¡¯ll talk about itter." Jiraiya sighed, reluctantly giving in as he thought about how this blonde rascal was his student, "First, get rid of that smug look on your face."


    Upon hearing this, Naruto dropped his cheeky expression and returned to normal.


    "It would be more dangerous to sneak into a ce like the Land of Rain alone, right?"


    "You little brat," Jiraiyaughed, "I am the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, not some small fry. I''ve been to countless dangerous ces in my life, and I¡¯vee out unscathed every time."


    "I''m not bragging, no matter how dangerous the ce is¡­"


    "Hey hey hey! Don¡¯t walk away! You brat!"


    "Uzumaki Naruto! Didn''t the Academy teach you about respecting your teachers?"


    "Tsk." Naruto had already walked off,pletely ignoring Jiraiya. As the so-called ¡®Child of Prophecy¡¯, his mind was now solely focused on figuring out how to take down the Akatsuki.


    In the past, he didn''t mind taking his time, thinking he had plenty of it. But now, he needed more power, even though his current strength already allowed him to stand tall in Konoha.


    But that wasn''t nearly enough. Facing the Akatsuki''s overwhelming numbers, he needed much greater strength. Stronger opponents were on the horizon, so he needed to be even stronger.


    Later that afternoon, Naruto stopped by Sakura''s house to check at her, but after finding out that she was still asleep, he returned home. After thinking it over on the way back, he decided to just wait and see how things unfolded with Sakura.


    In the days that followed, he remained idle, doing only simple training exercises each day.


    Right now, Team 7 was in shambles, with only him remaining. Since Tsunade allowed him some time off, dying the team''s reorganization, he had plenty of free time.


    The other Genin Teams are very busy as they had to prepare for the uing Chunin Exams.


    After a year of training, the genin who graduatedst year were gradually maturing. Being promoted to Chunin meant a higher status and more mission rewards.


    More importantly, it''s a necessary motivation. After working as a Genin for a whole year, who wouldn''t want to climb up the ranks?


    Not everyone could afford to be half asid-back as Naruto. Strength is indeed crucial for a Shinobi, but so is the title thates with it.


    At least, it''s essential to have a notable achievement in one''s Shinobi career.


    Take Shikamaru, for example. Thanks to his cool-headedmand skills, he earned the title of Konoha''s only Chunin duringst year''s joint Chunin Exams. The value of this title surpassed that of an ordinary Chunin who passed the Chunin Exams.


    In any case, aside from the higher-ups, most people''s attention was now on the uing Konoha¡¯s Chunin Exams.


    "Are you going to take part in the Chunin Exams?" Jiraiya sat astride the roof in a frivolous manner, put down the telescope he was loving so much, and looked at Naruto in some surprise.


    The rooftop is just opposite of the bathhouse.


    "Just for the heck of it." Naruto said, leaning against the wall, "Anyway, I don''t have much to do recently, and staying idle all the time is pointless."


    "If Tsunade hears you say that, she''ll rip your head off." Jiraiya shook his head and said, "She''s been busy with your affairstely, working herself to the bone."


    "That can''t be helped. I''m having a hard time too, Pervy Sage. Being idle all day isn''t as easy as it seems." Naruto gestured while speaking.


    "I need to find ways to have fun everywhere and train asionally. But it''s really boring without any missions. How about we just head to the Land of Rain now?"


    "Don''t even think about it. Tsunade would go crazy." Jiraiya coughed, "Andtely, with you insisting on bing the n Head of the Uzumaki¡­"


    "Oh? You might as well marry three hundred wives, little brat."


    "Huh? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?"


    Jiraiya turned to look at Naruto, only to find the blond was rubbing his chin, as if he was seriously considering his suggestion. Jiraiya''s expression fell, his forehead was full of ck lines, and he looked utterly exasperated.


    "You''re not seriously thinking about it, are you?"


    "Uh, I didn''t say anything." Naruto was slightly embarrassed. He was obviously distracted just now and didn¡¯t hear Jiraiya¡¯sment at all.


    "Well, you are indeed growing up. In a few years, you''ll be ready to settle down."


    Jiraiya, straddling the railing and casting a shadow over the rooftop, looked at Naruto with a parental air and asked, "Come to think of it,st winter, you brought that girl from the Yamanaka n to meet me, didn¡¯t you?"


    "So, how''s she doing now?"


    "Nothing much has changed." Naruto said, hiding in the shade and yawning as he looked at the dense sunlight under the eaves, "Everyone is busy, and I haven''t seen much of themtely."


    "You''re quite the cker, huh? They¡¯re still Genin, so naturally, they can''tpare to you." Jiraiya put away the telescope directly, as today''s ¡®research¡¯ session was over.


    "But I still suggest you not to take part in the Chunin Exams. In a few days, there will be news from Tsunade. You are waiting, and so am I."


    "Once those idle Konoha¡¯s higher-ups loosen their grip, you''ll just need a title to avoid being restricted everywhere because of your status as a Jinchuriki."


    "Because of Kyubi?" Naruto looked up at Jiraiya.


    The atmosphere between them was light and casual, just a pervy old man chatting with a regr blonde Genin in his free time.


    The summer was long, and the sun was scorching.


    Jiraiya had not yet realized the gravity of the situation and just thought that Naruto was just feeling a bit down.


    After all, knowing that you have a monster sealed inside you, facing constant wariness or even hostility from the vigers, is a burden that¡¯s hard for anyone, even an adult, to bear.


    Not to mention that these burdens fell on the shoulders of an orphan who, from a young age, couldn''t escape being feared, manipted, or even being seen as a weapon by default.


    Such is often the fate of a Jinchuriki. Those chosen for this role are inherently unlucky. Jiraiya,cking a better solution, could only teach Naruto Ninjutsu to the best of his ability and support him whenever possible.


    Maybe it was toote for these efforts, but Jiraiya understood that some things were beyond his control. At least, for now, things were manageable.


    For a Shinobi, gaining true fame is not easy, and power is even harder to grasp. Although Jiraiya was initially hesitant about Naruto joining the higher-ups, Tsunade managed to convince him.


    As long as Naruto holds a position among the higher-ups, his future path might not be as difficult. Even if Jiraiya were to die one day, at least Naruto''s situation wouldn''t be too dire.


    "Yeah, the Kyubi is indeed troublesome." Jiraiya was still choosing his words carefully, thinking about how tofort Naruto, "It''s not something that can be changed. The rtionship between a Biju and its Jinchuriki isplex."


    "If the Biju is forcibly removed, the Jinchuriki could die at any moment."


    Naruto understood Jiraiya''s point. He was being told to keep his emotions in check. To look on the bright side as much as possible, and as the person directly involved, he should maintain a strong mindset.


    But while that logic made sense, applying it in reality was far moreplicated.


    Jiraiya paused for a long time, hesitating before speaking again, "The Kyubi is not entirely uncontroble. If you can gradually learn to harness its power, it would be a significant boost for you."


    "No thanks." Naruto said.


    "Hmm?"


    Jiraiya was surprised by Naruto''s response. He had expected Naruto to be exhausted, perhaps struggling with his mindset, which would be understandable.


    After all, teenagers are often sensitive, especially when they have a Biju sealed within them.


    "This isn''t about wanting to or not..." Jiraiya began to say. He was more inclined to let Naruto master the power of the Kyubi, but seeing Naruto¡¯s unstable mood, he thought it might be better to dy the matter.


    "That''s not what I meant." Naruto interrupted with a cough, his expression turning serious as he looked at Jiraiya, "Pervy Sage, there is no Kyubi in my body anymore."

 Chapter 244 I Have To Rely On Myself

    Chapter 244 I Have To Rely On Myself


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    Jiraiya''s words halted abruptly. He jumped off the railing, quickly moved to in front of Naruto and lifted up his shirt to see his belly.


    "The Four Symbols Seal is gone?" Jiraiya broke into a cold sweat as he looked up at Naruto, "Are you alright?"


    "Do I look like I''m not?" Naruto replied, pulling his shirt back down with a hint of annoyance, "It''s just Kyubi. Not all Jinchuriki are weaker than their Biju."


    Jiraiya was stunned for a long time, then looked at Naruto''s expression, and was rendered speechless. He had too many questions to ask, but he didn''t know where to begin.


    "When did it happen?"


    "It''s been a while." Naruto said, rubbing his nose, "I wasn''t sure how to tell anyone. But basically, I''m no longer the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki."


    "Where''s the Kyubi?"


    Naruto wanted to say, ¡®In my living room,¡¯ but felt that answer might be too shocking, so he changed his answer.


    "Not sure. Maybe it ran away."


    Hearing this, Jiraiya began to doubt his life. He even felt that the scene before him was almost surreal.


    ¡®The Kyubi had run away?¡¯ His understanding of everything was turned upside down at this moment.


    "How did this happen? Who took out the Kyubi from you?"


    "No idea. I woke up one day and the seal was gone." Naruto lied casually, "The fox in my belly was gone too, but luckily, I seem to still be able to use a portion of the Kyubi¡¯s Chakra?"


    "Are you really okay? I need to have Tsunade check on youter." Jiraiya circled around Naruto, examining him repeatedly until he was finally convinced that the Kyubi was indeed gone.


    "A portion of the Chakra? Approximately how much? Have you tried using it?" Jiraiya asked.


    ¡®Approximately one and a half Yang Kyubi worth of Chakra¡­ Well, there¡¯s no way I can say that. A portion that exceeded 100%. This wasn¡¯t just ¡®a portion¡¯, it was clearly an overflow.¡¯


    "Haven''t really tested it, but there¡¯s quite a lot anyway," Naruto exined, "Overall, it¡¯s probably a good thing. I just haven¡¯t told anyone about it yet."


    "What about Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked suspiciously.


    "Nope, I haven''t mentioned it to Tsunade-sama either." Naruto firmly denied, "If the higher-ups wanted to develop the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki, they¡¯re bound to be disappointed."


    "But you still expressed the desire to enter the rank of higher-ups?" Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. At this moment, he realized that Naruto had really grown up.


    "Naruto, you¡¯re a bit sneaky, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Cough, cough, Pervy Sage, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about." Naruto replied, "I only told you, so don¡¯t go spilling the beans."


    Jiraiya nced at Naruto a few times, then became increasingly convinced that this kid was bing more like a little monster.


    Naturally, he had learned about what had happened in the vige during this period, and he also knew that the higher-ups had the idea of developing the vige¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    Tsunade''s stance was the same as his, and they would never agree to the higher-ups'' ns. In the higher-ups'' eyes, Naruto was just a Jinchuriki, but to Jiraiya, Naruto was his disciple.


    As long as he and Tsunade disagreed, it didn''t matter how hard the higher-ups pushed. But he couldn¡¯t be certain that Danzo and the two old Advisors wouldn¡¯te up with other strategies, like using vige public opinion to apply pressure.


    It was out of concern for these uncertainties that, aftermunicating with Tsunade, Jiraiya abandoned his n to infiltrate the Land of Rain for intelligence gathering and returned early.


    It was all to solidify Naruto''s seemingly far-fetched idea, to enter the rank of higher-ups as the n Head of the Uzumaki n.


    Since Gaara had already secured the Kazekage¡¯s position at a young age, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for Naruto to be a higher-up. Even though Konoha hadn¡¯t had anyone so young in such a position before, precedents are meant to be broken.


    The situations of Konoha and Sunagakure are simr, as both experiencing a generational gap in leadership.


    Kakashi''s generation had experienced war, and the Shinobi who survived were indeed outstanding. But those who surpassed Kakashi were few, and the vige would almost certainly rely on Kakashi''s generation to support it.


    There are no qualified talents among the generation below Kakashi¡¯s, so Konoha''s future rested almost entirely on this batch of children trained by the Sandaime Hokage. Since it¡¯s like that, when truly exceptional talent appears, why not break precedents?


    Jiraiya was almost seventy to eighty percent certain that the higher-ups would give in.


    Because the development of Jinchuriki has been firmly blocked by Tsunade and him, so if the higher-ups still want to gain benefits from Jinchuriki in the future, they¡¯d have to agree to Naruto¡¯s proposal.


    This was thepromise that both he and Tsunade hoped to see. Naruto would contribute to Konoha as a higher-up, but would retain his autonomy and no longer be just a weapon of the vige.


    Soon, Uzumaki Naruto would be the head of the Uzumaki n, a disciple of the Sannin, and the youngest high-ranking member of Konoha.


    But now... everything had changed.


    The unaware higher-ups might still agree, but Naruto was no longer the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki. Konoha had lost its Biju and gained a young higher-up.


    The idea of the Konoha¡¯s higher-ups to continue to seek benefits from the Jinchuriki is doomed to fail, and they may even lose a higher-up position to Naruto.


    Jiraiya could already imagine how green the higher-ups'' faces would be when they learned the truth.


    A bit sneaky, but beneficial for Naruto.


    Jiraiya¡¯s only concern was: Where had Kyubi gone? After all, if it ended up in another vige''s hands, it would be a major threat to Konoha.


    Looking at Jiraiya who was slowly falling into deep thought, Naruto spoke up first, casually saying, "Pervy Sage, I¡¯m heading back first. Remember, keep it secret."


    Jiraiya didn¡¯t know what to say. He instinctively wanted to call Naruto back to get to the bottom of this, but after a moment''s thought, he dismissed the idea.


    He felt that it''s a good thing for Naruto to lose the Kyubi. Jiraiya decided it was better to find a tavern and calm down, to sort through everything himself.


    "So troublesome." Jiraiya muttered.


    He let Naruto leave just like that, and as he watched Naruto¡¯s retreating figure, Jiraiya felt an inexplicable sense of relief, ¡®That kid had already borne too much. Perhaps it was good for him to be a bit more carefree.¡¯


    ¡®As for what remained, let me be the one to shoulder it.¡¯


    Step by step, Naruto descended the stairs with his hands in his pockets, but he¡¯s feeling far from calm inside.


    ¡®Finally, this day hase. From now on, Konoha is Konoha and me is me. The Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki was no more, and the shackles on my body are gone.¡¯


    Here¡¯s a joke: A guy from another world went through hell for a pile of garbage, rising to prominence over thirty years, crushing his rivals and sweeping through enemies. He finally reached the pinnacle of power, only to take a bite of that garbage.


    Isn¡¯t that just disgusting?


    The so-called peace in the Shinobi World, the redemption of viins, and everyone¡¯s personal salvation¡­ it was all trash to Naruto. He didn¡¯t care what others wanted, he only knew what he wanted.


    He took it easy because taking it easy got him stronger faster than working hard.


    This world was never so kind, the dead crawled from graves, and the strong were reincarnated. Bloodline reigned supreme, and the power of the Otsutsuki caused all order to copse. The Shinobi World became a ranch for the Otsutsuki n, and humans became mere livestock.


    Naruto harbored a small ambition in his heart: If the system didn''t fail him, he hoped to one day rip off the robes of the Shinigami and peel away the mask of the Jashin, then see how they could stomach letting a few Otsutsuki continue to jump around.


    ¡®To revive the glory of Uzumaki n and rebuild the order of the Shinobi World, I, a stranger in a strangend, have to rely on myself!¡¯

 Chapter 245 Ino’s New Mission

    Chapter 245 Ino¡¯s New Mission


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    "You''re distracted again?" Ino said, puffing her cheeks, "This is the third time."


    "Oh, sorry." Naruto came back to his senses and said apologetically, "Maybe I didn''t sleep well yesterday, I''m too tired. By the way, where were we?"


    In the barbecue restaurant, the two were having a private meeting, sitting face to face.


    Their seats were near the window, with two bottles of opened orange soda on the table, and five or six tes of meat on a small cart. Two small tes of watermelon were ced on each side, and various sauces wereid out in front of them.


    Ino was dressed elegantly, wearing a ck and blue striped crop top paired with loose beige pants. It was obvious that she had dressed up carefully for the asion.


    In contrast, a certain blonde was much more casual. His messy blond hair, white T-shirt, and ck pants gave him aid-back appearance wherever he went.


    "You¡­" Ino rolled her eyes. "Don''t you usually love to sleep? You sleep everywhere, even in Tsunade-sama''s office."


    "That time was because I had to wait too long, it was just so boring." Naruto defended himself, "There was no one around, yet they insisted on calling me in so early?"


    Ino''s expression turnedplicated, and she asked quietly, "So you just slept on the desk?"


    "That''s not important." Naruto awkwardly tried to change the subject, "What was the mission you mentioned earlier? Can you repeat it?"


    "The Fire Temple." Ino propped herself up on the table with one hand, using the other to start grilling meat. With a sizzling sound, a puff of white smoke rose, and her voice resumed.


    "Asuma-sensei said the client is a monk from the Fire Temple. Apparently, someone attacked the temple, targeting Chiriku-san. But Chiriku-san wasn''t there, so¡­"


    Ino spoke methodically, but her hands never stopping. Her fair wrist moved nimbly, flipping the meat quickly and then skillfully lowering her head to mix the sauce.


    Her high ponytail was tied up, and her blond hair was tucked behind her ears.


    She continued to chat without noticing Naruto''s increasingly quiet demeanor. It wasn''t until she realized the blond in front of her was too silent that Ino stopped.


    "What''s wrong with you?" She asked puzzledly.


    "This mission is too dangerous." Naruto cleared his throat, then subconsciously touched his nose nervously, "It''s really too much for a Genin Team to carry out that kind of mission."


    "You underestimate us too much." Inoined, "Besides, didn¡¯t we have Asuma-sensei with us? There won''t be any danger."


    "After all, we''ve done quite a few dangerous missions together, so this one shouldn''t be anything special."


    "I''ve been to the Fire Temple." Naruto said after a moment of silence, "Chiriku-san is someone who... Well, anyway, let''s just say the enemy is a member of the Akatsuki that even Chiriku-san can''t handle. This mission is just too perilous."


    Chiriku''s life was valued at thirty million ryo, and the Akatsuki were taking on missions for money everywhere, so Chiriku had long anticipated he would be targeted. However, at that time, the Akatsuki had not shown signs of activity in the Land of Fire, so Chiriku didn''t take too many precautions.


    But now, Chiriku was still alive.


    Naruto didn''t know if it was because of his warning or simply a butterfly effect. But one thing was certain, Kakuzu hadn''t taken Chiriku''s head yet, so he would definitelye back sooner orter.


    "Idiot! It¡¯s a mission, since when is there one without danger?" Ino ced the grilled meat in Naruto''s bowl, "Even if we know it''s dangerous, so what? This is a Shinobi¡¯s job."


    "No, I can''t let that happen. I''m going to talk to Tsunade-sama, I want to go too." Naruto said after taking a sip of juice.


    "You think it won''t be dangerous just because you''re going?" Ino was speechless.


    "Of course, I''m very strong, you know that." Naruto said half-jokingly, "Besides, if I don''t go, I''ll just be worried about you, and I won''t be able to rest well in the vige either."


    "How could you possibly not rest well? Someone hasn''t contacted me in a long time, and it seems like you don¡¯t have much going on most days." Ino said with a pout.


    "This¡­" Naruto knew he was in the wrong.


    "Alright, you don''t need to exin." Ino mumbled, "Anyway, that''s just how you are. But not contacting me is fine, at least I don''t get bothered."


    "If you say it like that, I''m going to be sad."


    "Pfft! Who would believe you!" Despite her words, Ino still smiled.


    "The mission is decided then. I''ll talk to Tsunade-sana about it." Naruto said, taking on a determined stance, with a tone that left no room for refusal.


    "Better not." Ino sighed and said a little guiltily, "It''s really safe. There''s no need to trouble Tsunade-sama."


    Hearing this, Naruto¡¯s eyelid twitched slightly, and he thought to himself, ¡®How could I not know whether it''s safe or not?¡¯


    ¡®It would be a miracle if you guys could be safe after meeting Kakuzu and Hidan. The Immortal Duo are the most troublesome and difficult to deal with among the Akatsuki¡¯s members. If you guys make the slightest mistake, you will lose your lives.¡¯


    Since there is a butterfly effect, Naruto doesn''t dare to bet that Ino cane back safely.


    "I''ve already decided, no need to persuade me anymore." Naruto said.


    "But you¡¯re still just a Genin, right? If you keep being this reckless, even if Tsunade-sama doesn''t me you, you might offend the higher-ups." Ino was anxious and couldn''t help but say.


    As soon as she said it, she regretted it and quickly tried to change her words.


    "Not really the higher-ups, it¡¯s just¡­ the impression won¡¯t be good. Always doing things just for me is too¡­"


    "You don''t need to worry about that." Naruto leaned back in his chair, "It''s not troublesome at all. Besides, there''s no way I''d let you go on a risky mission."


    Ino felt a bit flustered, and her cheeks turned slightly red.


    "Isn''t that what all Shinobi do? How could they do something like this just because they are worried?"


    "Of course they can." Naruto stared at her and showed a mischievous smile, "I¡¯m about to be a higher-up myself soon. What can they say to me?"


    "What?" Ino looked up in surprise, "What higher-up?"


    "Me!" Naruto pointed at himself, "Didn''t I make it clear enough just now? The person sitting in front of you is about to be one of Konoha''s higher-ups."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Ino blinked, wondering if Naruto had lost his mind, "You''re still a Genin, how can you be a higher-up?"


    "Soon," Naruto corrected, then coughed once and sat up straighter, "Let me reintroduce myself: Uzumaki Naruto, the new n Head of the Uzumaki n."


    He stretched out his hand to with great ir and said, "One of the future higher-ups of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!"


    "You?" Ino was stunned, struggling to digest such arge amount of information at once, "What did you just say about being the n Head of the Uzumaki n? I didn''t quite catch that."


    "You don''t need to understand that, it''s just a title." Naruto said as he returned to his usual demeanor and picked up a piece of grilled meat, "Anyway, no need to worry about me."


    "No matter what, I can¡¯t just sit by and watch you take on such a dangerous mission."


    "Who¡­who asked you to care." Ino retorted in a low voice.


    After leaving the barbecue restaurant.


    The two walked side by side along the road, with Ino listening to Naruto¡¯s exnation about the higher-up position.


    She couldn''t help but asionally sigh. After giving him aplicated look, she said, "Being the n Head of a n all by yourself¡­ Won¡¯t you feel lonely?"


    "It''s alright. Do you want to join?"


    Ino: "¡­ I shouldn''t have asked you."

 Chapter 246 The Whole Summer

    Chapter 246 The Whole Summer


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    Ino turned her head away, choosing not to continue the conversation, and Naruto didn''t have much of a reaction either.


    The events at the Fire Temple were unexpected, but he knew he had to be involved. Asuma and Team 10 are definitely not enough to handle the Immortal Duo.


    Would his involvement change things? Naruto couldn''t be entirely sure. If it were any other opponents, it would be manageable, but this was the Immortal Duo¡­ They¡¯re more troublesome than powerful, just in tricky.


    When Naruto came to his senses, the two were still walking side by side down the street.


    Ino had a worried look on her face. After hesitating for a long time, she turned to Naruto and asked, "Is your n feasible?"


    Naruto didn''t answer immediately. After a moment of silence, he said, "To be honest, I don''t know. Maybe it¡¯ll work. I don''t want to deal with all these messy things. My life is a mess after all."


    Ino was taken aback, and her eyes dimmed for a moment.


    "Alright, don¡¯t think too much about it."


    She forced a smile and said, "It''s the Konoha higher-ups we¡¯re talking about. Even if it doesn¡¯t work out, it''s no big deal. But if it does, then you''ve hit the jackpot."


    Ino was also affected, and her attempt tofort Naruto seemed a little pale and powerless. But Naruto didn¡¯t needfort, and he was just venting about his chaotic life. A messy vige, a messed-up life.


    "Yeah, quite the jackpot." Naruto saidzily, obviously not meaning what he said.


    Ino sighed and nced at the boy beside her. Then, she took the initiative to reach out and grab his hand. Naruto felt his hand being grabbed, and turned his head to look at her in surprise.


    "What are you looking at!" Ino''s face turned slightly red and she looked annoyed, but she didn''t let go of his hand. She just turned her head away.


    It was still broad daylight, and there were quite a few people on the street. Naruto was a little surprised, and seeing that Ino was already embarrassed, he leaned over to ask in a low voice, "Aren''t you worried of running into someone we know?"


    "¡­"


    At that moment, Ino threw Naruto''s hand away with a swift motion. Her face turned even redder, like a ripe apple. She red at him and said, "You''d better not ask that again."


    "Oh." Naruto nodded, then gently squeezed Ino¡¯s palm.


    Thetter''s body jolted violently, and she reflexively turned her head, "What''s wrong with you! If you squeeze again, I will¡­"


    Ino gritted her teeth and raised her fist.


    "I won¡¯t squeeze again." Naruto leaned over and said in a low voice, knowing when to stop.


    Holding hands and whispering on the street in broad daylight was bound to attract attention. Ino could no longer handle it. She pulled Naruto into an alley, where they stayed for a while until her flushed face gradually returned to normal.


    The two stood at the mouth of the alley. Ino, dressed in light clothing, fanned herself with her hand as the warm breeze gently blew. Overhead,rge patches of white clouds floated by, with green trees providing shade in the distance.


    Naruto squatted down, squinting as he watched Ino from the alley entrance. He noticed beads of sweat gathering on her forehead. The street outside was noisy, and the sounds seeped through.


    It felt faint, like being separated by a thin sheet of paper, with Naruto and Ino standing on the other side. Naruto stared at the girl, who kept fanning herself and looking around.


    Ino turned her head and noticed his gaze. She was stunned for a moment, looking a little embarrassed.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Naruto hesitated for a moment before saying, "I¡¯m looking at summer."


    "Are you an idiot? How can you look at summer?" Ino brushed her loose blonde hair behind her ear, and said with augh, "Summer is everywhere, there''s no need to go out of your way to see it."


    "But the way you said that sounds so cheesy."


    After saying that, she herself couldn''t help butughed again. It seemed she found it amusing to liken Naruto to something sappy.


    Naruto didn¡¯t get angry at Ino¡¯s teasing. He just stood up, smiled at her, and said, "Ino you''re so cute."


    "Ah? Why are you saying something like that all of a sudden!" Ino''s face flushed instantly, "You can''t beat me, so you''re being shameless again!"


    ¡®Summer is hot and annoying, and makes me feel sticky all over, but I also like it.¡¯


    "I didn¡¯t say anything, you said it yourself." Naruto said as he walked to the alley entrance. He then paused, with Ino hesitantly looking outside.


    Naruto gave her some time to think, then grabbed her hand.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Ino''s pupils dted instantly, but Naruto didn''t react as if he was unaware. He simply held her hand and walked forward, showing no sign of embarrassment.


    He nced back at her, noticing Ino''s deep blue eyes shifting uneasily. She touched her face, trying to hide her nervousness.


    "Let go." Ino said, but her voice was very soft.


    Naruto pretended not to hear anything, continuing to hold her hand as they walked under the sunlight, openly and without hiding.


    "You are now one of Konoha''s higher-ups." Tsunade said, her voice sounded slightly fatigued as she nced at him, "Now that you''ve finally gotten what you wanted, get out of here if there¡¯s nothing else."


    Naruto was naturally not so ungrateful. He took the initiative toe forward and poured Tsunade some tea.


    To his surprise, the pure liquid pouring into the cup emitted a whiff of alcohol. The scene became slightly awkward, then Tsunade picked up the cup and said as if nothing had happened, "Don''t put sake in my teapot without permission in the future. If Shizune finds out, you''ll suffer a terrible fate."


    Naruto''s mouth twitched, but given the celebratory asion, he held back his retort.


    "Alright, alright, next time for sure."


    Tsunade, known for her straightforward nature, noticed Naruto, usually sharp-tongued, behaving so obediently today, and understood that he was someone who appreciated kindness. She feltforted, realizing her efforts hadn¡¯t been in vain.


    Tsunade took a sip of her drink, and Naruto, sensing the moment, moved behind her to massage her shoulders, ying the role of a diligent bootlicker.


    After all, Tsunade had indeed been kind to him. Though he didn¡¯t say much, he was well aware of all the things she had done for himtely.


    If hecked even a little tact, that would be truly unfortunate.


    In this world, there¡¯s no such thing as unearned kindness, nor baseless hatred. Tsunade¡¯s goodwill towards Naruto stemmed from the time he blocked a sword for her, and from a certain move that had since been censored.


    But this wasn¡¯t enough for Tsunade to continually look out for him. Some things are about reciprocation. Since Tsunade had been kind to him, he also tries his best to cooperate with Tsunade fully.


    Even with hisid-back nature, Naruto never refused any task Tsunade assigned him. Although he made it clear he didn¡¯t want to be groomed as the next Hokage, he wasn¡¯t entirely tactless.


    "Not bad, your shoulder massage technique has improved." Tsunade moaned, took another sip of sake, feeling thoroughly rxed, "At least you still have some conscience."


    "It is my duty to share Tsunade-sama¡¯s worries." Naruto said tteringly, then cautiously asked, "Tsunade-sama, why did the higher-ups give in so easily?"


    "Easily?" Tsunade raised her eyebrows, her voluptuous figure shifting slightly as she turned to give Naruto a stern look, "Who told you this was easy? The higher-ups were originally entirely against it."


    She paused midway through her sentence. Naruto asked while trying his best to contribute his value, "Then how did they agree in the end?¡±


    "You don''t need to know that,¡± Tsunade replied. ¡°Just know that Kakashi spoke on your behalf. You should go and see your teacher when you have time." Tsunade reminded.


    "If there are no surprises, the position of the Rokudaime Hokage will be Kakashi¡¯s. Among the younger generation, there¡¯s no one more suitable than Kakashi to take over."


    "Okay." Naruto didn¡¯t quite understand how Kakashi managed to be part of the Konoha¡¯s high-level meeting. After all, logically speaking, Kakashi was just an Elite Jonin.


    Konoha¡¯s core higher-ups were only a few, even counting those who were just figureheads. Unless Kakashi was the Anbu Commander, it would be unusual for him to attend such high-level meetings.


    Being merely the former Jonin Instructor of Team 7 and an active Jonin probably wouldn¡¯t carry that much weight.


    "Tsunade-sama, have you been busytely?"


    "Well, not too¡­"


    Tsunade enjoyed her drink while Naruto continued to massage her shoulders. asionally, they¡¯d chat casually, the wide sleeves of her robe rustling. The little bit of alcohol wasn¡¯t enough to affect Tsunade, and it only served to warm her up slightly.


    "I heard that you want to take part in the Chunin Exams?" Tsunade asked offhandedly.


    "Um, I was just considering it, haven¡¯t decided yet." Naruto replied, "Recently, I¡¯ve had some free time, so..."


    He stopped mid-speech, because he could sense Tsunade''s strong dissatisfaction, and quickly corrected himself, "I just want the title of Chunin. I can¡¯t stay a Genin forever, right?"


    "Do whatever you want." Tsunade said, "If you want to participate, then participate. It¡¯s not a big deal. Just remember, your position among the higher-ups is merely honorary, you don¡¯t have any actual power."


    "Just having a title is enough," he said. "I don''t want to actually get too busy."


    Tsunade: ¡°¡­¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 247 The Tone Is So Familiar

    Chapter 247 The Tone Is So Familiar


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    "In a few days, I¡¯ll take you to one of the high-level meetings, to let you see what it¡¯s like. Before the Chunin Exams, you should make an appearance. Then you can be officially known in Konoha."


    "So¡­is this¡­an official debut?"


    "What is that?" Tsunade asked with a frown, ¡®This kid always had strange wordsing out of his mouth.¡¯


    "Nothing, nothing."


    "Tsunade-sama, is Sakura¡¯s condition serious?" Naruto continued massaging her shoulders while subtly shifting the topic to Sakura.


    "She seems to have been hospitalized. I¡¯ve visited the Konoha Hospital a few times, and there¡¯s no sign of her waking up."


    "It shouldn¡¯t be too serious." Tsunade sighed, "All her physical indicators are normal, but she just won¡¯t wake up."


    Being Hokage was a busy job, and even though Sakura was Tsunade¡¯s apprentice, she couldn¡¯t just abandon all her duties to stay by Sakura¡¯s side all day. Moreover, there was nothing wrong with Sakura''s body, it was just that she hadn¡¯t woken up yet.


    Faced with such aplicated condition, even Tsunade didn¡¯t have any good solution in the short term and could only observe for a while.


    "So, all we can do is wait?" Naruto was a bit surprised. He didn''t have any good solution either, especially without knowing the exact cause.


    "There¡¯s nothing else we can do for now. We¡¯ll have to wait and see when she wakes up." Tsunade said, "It shouldn¡¯t take too long."


    "Alright."


    Naruto continued to massage Tsunade''s shoulders diligently until Tsunade no longer needed him, and then he slowly left the Hokage¡¯s Office.


    Outside the Hokage Tower, Naruto squinted his eyes as he looked at the bright and intense sunlight flooding the street.


    Sakura¡¯s situation did concern him, but as Tsunade said, for now, all they could do was wait for Sakura to wake up on her own.


    With a sigh, he walked towards the direction of Konoha Hospital.


    The Sunagakure¡¯s siblings had been discharged from the hospital long ago, likely after signing some kind of agreement with Konoha. In short, Konoha had acknowledged Gaara¡¯s position and treated him seriously as the future Kazekage.


    The reason was simple: A Biju¡¯s Jinchuriki was irreceable.


    The ident that happened some time ago was nothing but a conspiracy against Gaara, but conspiracies will alwayse to an end, and the other Sunagakure¡¯s higher-ups are not fools.


    As long as they put a little thought into it, they¡¯ll realize Gaara¡¯s importance to Sunagakure.


    Once the storm passes, Sunagakure will instinctively start eliminating those higher-ups that targeted Gaara, a survival instinct like cutting off a limb to save the body.


    Right now, their own Biju¡¯s Jinchuriki is staying in Konoha''s territory. Every day Gaara stays there will be an additional hidden danger to Sunagakure and even the entire Land of Wind.


    Konoha Hospital.


    Naruto, carrying a bouquet of flowers, made his way upstairs with practiced ease, passing through hallways filled with the scent of disinfectant before stopping in front of a certain room.


    He didn¡¯t knock right away but peeked inside first. Usually, there would be someone keeping watch at this time, either Sakura''s parents or the seniors in the medical department.


    Even though Sakura had been transferred from the medical department, the Medical-nin there still had a good impression of the diligent Dark Sakura. Ever since Sakura was hospitalized, they had almost voluntarily taken turns watching over her.


    Yuu from the medical department was napping in a chair by the wall, while Sakuray quietly on the bed, receiving an IV. Her condition seemed to be no different from the previous few days.


    When Naruto pushed the door open, the Medical-nin woke up immediately.


    "Oh, you''re here?" Yuu, who had met Naruto before, yawned and stood up, patting him on the shoulder before leaving, "Keep an eye on things, and call us if anything happens."


    "Okay." Naruto agreed.


    He didn¡¯t have much of a rtionship with the medical department, just a familiar face. Most of the time when he woke up in the hospital, it was Sakura he saw.


    Naruto reced the flowers on the table and sat in the chair Yuu had been sitting in.


    He yawned and night fell in the blink of an eye.


    Watching over a patient is exhausting, and Naruto had learned from Yuu that Sakura¡¯s parents had requested the staff here to take care of her for the day, with someone elseing in the morning.


    ncing at the night outside, he decided he might as well stay until morning.


    As the night deepened, the surroundings grew quieter.


    The hospital room was brightly lit, and as Naruto got up to get some water, he suddenly heard a faint groan from the bed. Startled, he almost dropped the cup.


    ¡®She woke up?¡¯


    He didn''t even bother to get the water. He just put the cup on the table and walked to the bed in two steps.


    Sure enough, Sakura was frowning, making faint noises, looking as if she were about to wake up. Naruto felt nervous and turned to call the medical staff on duty.


    Just as he turned, he felt a tug on his sleeve.


    Sakura, looking a bit dazed, gripped Naruto¡¯s sleeve tightly, like clutching a lifeline. Naruto suddenly became less anxious, and he stared into Sakura''s eyes.


    "Sakura?" He asked.


    "¡­ Yeah." Sakura¡¯s voice was weak. She stared at Naruto for a long moment before recognizing him, "Naruto, why are you here?"


    ¡®The tone is so familiar. It¡¯s Pink Sakura.¡¯


    Naruto didn¡¯t know why, but even though he had told himself it didn¡¯t matter who woke up, whether it was Pink Sakura or Dark Sakura, as both had been good to him, when the moment finally arrived, he still felt a pang of emptiness in his heart. It was only when the scales tipped that he realized his preference leaned towards Dark Sakura.


    He liked that girl who said she would stand there and actually stood there, motionless, her slender figure like a de of grass. But she wasn¡¯t just a de of grass, she was a living person.


    Having been in this world and seen it all, she understood what was normal, and from that understanding, she realized her own abnormality. Only after witnessing others¡¯ happiness did she see herself as a mere substitute.


    It wasn¡¯t fair. If a person¡¯s right to even suffer is stripped away, that¡¯s a fate worse than death.


    Naruto had hoped Dark Sakura could remain, but it was only at thest moment that he convinced himself. However, whether Dark Sakura truly had the right to choose, he dared not ponder.


    Even though they were all Sakura, and on the surface, nothing had changed.


    But Naruto knew¡­ and because only he knew that it made his heart ache slightly. When Sakura spoke, Naruto finally understood the meaning behind Dark Sakura¡¯s words.


    ¡®She was too clever, painfully so.¡¯


    Naruto remembered herpletely, painfully, and only he would feel that pain. It wasn¡¯t the pain of loss, but the sorrow of a person who now exists only as a memory.


    Just like Dark Sakura had once told him, if she disappeared, no one would remember. Now, Naruto knew she had really existed, but he couldn¡¯t tell anyone.


    Only he would remember, forever, until his death.


    "Naruto, I want some water." Sakura curled up and murmured weakly.


    "Oh, okay!" Naruto snapped back to reality, feeling a small wound tear in his heart. He walked to the corner of the room and picked up the ss of water.


    At the moment he handed the ss over, Naruto was momentarily lost in thought. Suddenly, a faint pain came from the tip of his right index finger.


    Naruto''s pupils widened slightly.

 Chapter 248 I Think I Might Really LIke You

    Chapter 248 I Think I Might Really LIke You


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    Seeing isn''t always believing, as vision can deceive, and sounds can lie, but touch is real.


    Through the ss of water, Naruto vaguely saw a pair of eyes. The face looked extremely weak, but a faint smile flickered in those eyes, like raindrops sliding down a windshield.


    "What was that?" Naruto asked.


    Sakura seemed to have returned to normal. She sat up and took a sip of water before asking, "What?"


    "You just bit me, didn¡¯t you?"


    Naruto looked closely at his fingers under the light and indeed saw bite marks. The other party seemed to have used a lot of force, as it left a faint mark.


    Naruto¡¯s tone was calm and measured, and he wasn¡¯t easily swayed by emotions. His temperament was typicallyposed, rarely showing any significant emotional fluctuation no matter the situation.


    "No." Sakura said, drinking her water calmly, "I''m a bit hungry."


    "Even so, it''s the middle of the night. I''ll see if I can find something to eat." Naruto gave her a strange look.


    "I''ll go to the medical department and find someone to check on you first."


    Naruto still can''t figure out the situationpletely. When Sakura woke up, her expression and mannerisms resembled the familiar Pink Sakura. However, the tone of her second sentence sounded more like Dark Sakura.


    ¡®In any case, it was best to have someone examine her first.¡¯


    Just as he was about to leave, his clothes were grabbed again. Sakura stared intently at him with a burning gaze, "Wait."


    "Hmm?"


    "Let''s kiss."


    "Cough! Are you crazy, Sakura?" He gulped and instinctively tried to take a step back, but was held back by Sakura.


    "Hehe, did I scare you?" She showed a smug smile on her face.


    ¡®Even though she was already weak, she stubbornly tried to act strong.¡¯


    Naruto was stunned for a moment. He had already guessed the result. It was just a false rm, she just fell unconscious, and her personality hadn''t disappeared.


    "So, you''re alright?" he asked, "Uh, the personality didn¡¯t disappear?"


    "I don''t know." Sakura let go of his shirt and, after thinking seriously for a while, said, "It might have recovered, or it might never."


    "What do you mean?" Naruto frowned.


    Sakura didn¡¯t answer directly, but stared at Naruto for a long time before saying, "Give me your hand."


    "My hand?"


    Naruto extended his hand, and Sakura immediately grasped it, her fingers naturally intertwining with his, locking their fingers together.


    "Like this." Sakura said slowly, "I don''t feel repulsed. On the contrary, I''m very happy."


    "If we go a little further¡­" She lowered her head and gently sucked on his index finger, licking like a cat, lightly biting with her teeth, "I''ll get excited."


    "But she would be very embarrassed. I can sense her presence when doing things like this." Sakura let go of Naruto''s hand and pointed at her head.


    "The body is still under my control, but she''s awake. And if it''s too stimting, she can feel it too."


    ¡®Two personalities sharing one soul.¡¯


    Naruto was slightly surprised, and asked in a daze, "So, you two shared the same body, and she was the first to wake up, right?"


    "Yeah." Sakura said, "But our memories are shared. If you want to talk to her, you can do that too. Do you want to?"


    "Uh¡­" Naruto hesitated and forced a smile, "You''re still weak. Maybe next time."


    "Okay." Sakura''s smile widened, "Naruto-kun, are you worried about me?"


    "I guess so." He turned his head and nced outside the door, "I''ll go find someone to check you. I can''t understand the medical data."


    "No need, I can understand it." Sakura said with a smile, "The seniors on duty are working hard too. Why don''t you examine me instead?"


    "Me?" Naruto swallowed nervously, "I don''t know how."


    "It''s fine. I know the procedure, it''s very simple." Sakura reassured him, "I''ll teach you, just do as I say."


    "There won¡¯t be anything weird, right?" Naruto asked skeptically.


    "Nope." Sakura shook her head.


    In fact, it was just basic things like listening to the heart, measuring temperature, etc. Even so, Naruto was still terrified.


    "What was the result?" he asked.


    In the quiet hospital room, deep into the night, it was just the two of them.


    "I''m hungry." Sakura said.


    "I mean the results." Naruto sighed, ¡®It really took some effort to deal with her.¡¯


    "It''s okay, everything is fine, but I''m hungry." Sakura replied with a serious expression, "I want to eat something. In return, I''ll tell you a secret."


    "I''ll get you some food now, but forget about the secret." Naruto waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave the hospital room.


    Sakura remained normal until Naruto returned with some food.


    "This is all I could find." He said somewhat embarrassedly, "It''s the middle of the night and everything outside is closed, so you¡¯ll just have to make do with this."


    "Alright." Sakura nodded.


    Hearing that familiar voice, ¡®Alright¡¯, Naruto felt a strange sense offort, ¡®Having a cooperative teammate still feels...¡¯


    After Sakura finished eating, it was already four o''clock in the morning.


    The sky outside was still dark. Naruto felt a little sleepy, and his eyelids drooped as he looked at Sakura, who was slowly wiping her mouth while leaning against the hospital bed. Thetter nced at him and said softly, "If you''re tired, you can go back. I''ll be fine on my own."


    "It''s alright." Naruto yawned, "Ah~, it won''t be long before daybreak anyway. I can hold on a bit longer."


    "Well, you''re always like that." Sakura said with a smile, "To be honest, I never really intended to do anything before, and those things I said were just to scare you."


    Naruto pointed at her, "You better be."


    But he chuckled after saying that. He wasn''t bothered by her words, after all, he wasn''t too uptight. He had a rough idea that half of what Sakura said was in jest, and he just found it troublesome at the time.


    "What about now?" He asked. Usually, whenever the past is mentioned, the present follows.


    "Now¡­" Sakura pursed her lips and stared at Naruto for a long time before saying, "I think I might really like you."


    "Really?" Naruto clearly didn''t take it seriously, assuming Sakura was just putting on another act, "That''s quite an honor, but there are too many people who like me. I''m really sorry."


    "I have to turn you down."


    "Is it because you can''t handle it?" Sakura smiled with her eyes narrowed. Her smile is still as charming as ever.


    "That''s not the case." Naruto leanedzily against the wall.


    "No problem, I''m always avable." Sakura said, " Besides, I have an advantage others don''t. I don''t mind Naruto-kun liking someone else."


    "It doesn''t matter if there are several, I don''t mind being third in line."


    Naruto''s forehead was covered in ck lines, "It''s all a joke. There''s no such thing as ranking. It''s just that we have a better rtionship. After all, we are still young right now, and everyone''s just focused on getting stronger."


    He said perfunctorily, casually brushing off the topic. However, what he is true¡­ Shinobi prioritized missions over romance, and they don¡¯t have much time for rtionships.


    Most of the time, meetings were just coincidental, they would run into each other during breaks or at gatherings.

 Chapter 249 Welcome Back

    Chapter 249 Wee Back


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    "So, we''re no different?" Sakura asked.


    "No difference." Naruto was in a good mood, continuing the conversation, "I have to go on a mission tomorrow. It''s a shame you can''t join, otherwise, it would be more reassuring."


    Naruto was referring to the mission at the Fire Temple. Now that it was the early morning, he nned to leverage his status as a higher-up to force his way into the mission after sunrise.


    "If we were partners, wouldn¡¯t it be more thrilling?" Sakura tilted her head and asked, "Secretly, behind everyone''s backs¡­"


    "No." Naruto cut off Sakura''s morally ambiguous suggestion.


    "Eh? Are you really not going to consider it again?" Sakura asked nonchntly, her tone revealing no emotion, "During that time, she''d wake up too¡­ it''d be quite thrilling, wouldn''t it?"


    Hearing this, Naruto nced at her without any visible reaction. By now, he was entirely ustomed to Sakura''s sudden outrageous remarks, and was already semi-immune to them.


    However, he didn''t mind these conversations with Dark Sakura once he understood her intentions. Dark Sakura would say anything to him, giving him a sense of freedom.


    There was no need to worry about words or consequences, he could just be himself.


    They continued their conversation, drifting from one topic to another, until the first light of dawn broke. Naruto, looking exhausted, got up, sshed some water on his face at the sink, yawned, and prepared to leave.


    Sakura was curled up under the nket, staring at Naruto. They had spent the entire night alone together, and even though it was just talking, it was actually quite enjoyable.


    The two had never talked so much before, and in two or three hours, it felt like they had covered every topic imaginable. It was not until Sakura got tired that the ward gradually quieted down.


    It had only been eight or nine days since theyst saw each other, but it felt like a reunion after a lifetime apart.


    Naruto was equally exhausted. After all, staying up all night talking was mentally draining.


    Summer is hot, but it was full of vitality.


    The cool morning breeze blew through, stirring ten thousand dreams. Konoha Hospital was slowly waking up, and the hallways were filled with noisy footsteps. Despite the noise, Naruto was in a great mood.


    ¡®After waiting for so long, there was finally a good result.¡¯ Naruto felt a wave of relief wash over him, though fatigue crept into his heart.


    Just as he was about to leave, in the split second when he closed the door to the hospital room, he and Sakura locked eyes. Raising his voice, he said, "Wee back."


    Click!


    The door shut, and Sakura burrowed deeper into her nket, burying her head deeply.


    Yes, everything was back to normal.


    After returning home, Naruto fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, it was already afternoon. Kurama, reeking of alcohol, was dozing on the sofa, but Naruto didn''t bother with him.


    After washing up, he grabbed a quick bite.


    Dragging his sluggish feet, he made his way to the Hokage''s Office. As soon as he stepped into the building, the sunlight abruptly disappeared. All eyes turned toward him, some filled with suspicion, others with shock.


    Yesterday, Tsunade had spread the news that Uzumaki Naruto would join the Konoha¡¯s leadership as the n Head of the Uzumaki n, bing one of the youngest higher-ups.


    Naruto was dressed casually, wearing the same slippers he always wore in summer. After noticing the odd looks casted on him, he nced around but didn''t give it much thought.


    Under everyone''s gaze, he slowly made his way up the stairs.


    "Is Hokage-sama joking? Why is that kid bing one of Konoha¡¯s higher-ups?" Someone asked in a low voice, "He''s still just a Genin, right? And iming he''s the n Head of the Uzumaki n is nonsense! Sure, Konoha has always been on good terms with the Uzumaki n, but they''ve been gone for years. You can''t just call anyone their member, can you..."


    "Who knows? You''d have to ask Hokage-sama. But considering he''s a Jinchuriki, it could be a part of the higher-ups¡¯ n. Anyway, that''s a slippery slope you don''t want to touch." An older veteran at the Hokage Tower warned sternly.


    "Alright, everyone, disperse! If you want to chat, you can do it in secret after get off work!" Perhaps realizing the gravity of the situation, they dispersed before the rumor mill was even built.


    Naruto originally nned to intervene in a mission, but he ended up getting roped into something else by Tsunade.


    "Got it. Just let Shizune handle that." She said, "Anyway, there''s a high-level meeting happening now, so join me."


    "Eh, Tsunade-sama, I..." Naruto wasn''t too keen on going at first, but after being given a death stare by Tsunade, he became obedient.


    "Stop with the nonsense. I swear, there must be something wrong with you." Tsunade dragged his hand forward and said in an exasperated tone, "After being away for so long because of their meddling, it''s time you showed up. How can I give up this opportunity to dampen their spirits? It''s giving me a headache."


    "Okay." Naruto said helplessly.


    The higher-ups are also helpless as it was the first time they had to attend a meeting alongside a kid.


    With a loud bang, Tsunade pushed open the heavy wooden doors single-handedly and took her seat at the Hokage''s seat with a big, enthusiastic grin. Naruto stumbled in and found a spot to sit down.


    He was there in name only, without any real authority, but he did have voting rights.


    The Konoha¡¯s higher-ups gradually filed in, each casting different looks at Naruto. Some were all smiles, some wore long faces, and others seemed mildly amused by the situation.


    Naruto sat there quietly, asionally ncing in Tsunade''s direction.


    The meeting began, and Danzo and the two old Advisors wore displeased expressions. The two old Advisors nced at Naruto with a slightly dissatisfied look, feeling that the Godaime Hokage''s behavior was far too unorthodox andpletely misaligned with the Sandaime Hokage''s philosophy.


    After discussing some minor, inconsequential matters, the meeting moved on to more serious topics.


    Danzo was the first to voice his discontent, "Godaime, the Jinchuriki is just a figurehead, there is no need for him to attend the routine meetings."


    Tsunade wasn''t fazed. She tapped her fingers on the table and said, "Since he''s part of the higher-ups, he can attend if he wants to. Being a figurehead is just a title. If you hadn''t clung so stubbornly to the past, we could have let him take on some actual responsibilities."


    As she said this, she smirked and said, "I think the Root would be a good fit."


    "Godaime!" Utatane Koharu interrupted Tsunade. She also understood that the conflict between Tsunade and Danzo had deepened further due to Naruto''s entry into the higher-ups¡¯ rank.


    But as one of the Advisors, in order to avoid the meeting from stalling, Koharu felt it was her duty to mediate the tension between her old friend and Tsunade.


    "We''ve already made the biggest concessions. Please stop talking about things that are not negotiable." Koharu said in a hoarse voice.


    Tsunade didn''t say anything. She knew pushing for that would be extremely difficult. After all, it had already taken her considerable effort just to get Naruto the empty title of Uzumaki n¡¯s n Head.


    "As for the Jinchuriki," Danzo continued in a dismissive tone.


    "What Jinchuriki are you talking about?" Naruto suddenly interjected, cutting off Danzo''s words, "Anyway, I''m not one."

 Chapter 250 What Do You Think You Are?

    Chapter 250 What Do You Think You Are?


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    "You¡¯re not..." Advisor Mitokado Homura began, but he immediately realized something was wrong.


    "This isn''t a ce for you to talk nonsense." Although Homura¡¯s tone wasn''t aggressive, Tsunade had almost torn apart her rtionship with them just to secure a higher-up¡¯s position.


    Even a seasoned Advisor like Homura couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of anger seeing a young boy sitting among the vige¡¯s top leaders.


    ¡®Is this a ce for ying around? This is pure nonsense!¡¯


    Tsunade was also taken aback and turned to look at Naruto, wondering what kind of stunt he was pulling. She just wanted to have Naruto show up at the meeting and secure his position.


    After Naruto said that, he sat there calmly, showing plenty of patience.


    It wasn¡¯t until Homura couldn¡¯t hold back and was about to scold him again that Naruto spoke softly. As if doing it on purpose, he interrupted the old Advisor again.


    "I''m not kidding, Kyubi ran away."


    "What ran away?" One of the higher-ups asked.


    "Kyubi." Naruto repeated, "Kyubi, the Biju, is gone now. Don''t ask me where it went, it''s simply not inside me anymore."


    The conference room fell silent for a moment before erupting into noise.


    "Didn''t the Academy teach you about honesty? Everyone here is a member of the vige¡¯s leadership, so stop fooling around with the jokes." A higher-up Naruto had never seen before said.


    He sat near the back, so he¡¯s probably a department head of some kind.


    This meeting wasn¡¯t the highest level, so some of those present weren¡¯t big shots but still held significant power. They either sided with Danzo or tried to remain neutral like the Advisors.


    Naruto suddenly realized that his status as a higher-up didn¡¯t matter to them because, in their eyes, he was still just a Jinchuriki. To them, a Jinchuriki dressed in the robes of a leader is still a Jinchuriki.


    He nced at Tsunade, who was also looking at him with a frown, but she did not ask any questions.


    "Shut up!"


    Naruto was getting a little annoyed, and without caring that there were several higher-ups and Advisors present, he mmed the table and said, "Enough with the ¡®Jinchuriki¡¯ this, ¡®Jinchuriki¡¯ that. What nonsense are you all spouting?"


    "Have you said enough? Do you think I need to make up a lie?"


    "I already told you, the Kyubi has broken its seal and ran off! Do you understand what I''m saying? It ran away."


    Seeing Naruto getting angry, the big shots in the room showed no reaction. They looked at each other and then fixed their eyes on the four main leaders.


    Danzo, Koharu, Homura, and Tsunade. These four are the main leaders of Konoha, and their status is above everyone else in Konoha.


    "Uzumaki Naruto." Tsunade finally spoke. After all, as the Godaime Hokage, she had to step forward.


    "Yes."


    Naruto seemed to have calmed down a bit, but in reality, even when angry, his eyes didn¡¯t show any real emotion, as it was all just an act.


    He had long since stopped caring about his status as a Jinchuriki. As for why so many people fixated on him, he had already figured that out.


    Responsibility, destiny¡­ all those nonsenses.


    He was just unlucky. The Yondaime Hokage died, leaving him without any resources or backing. But once Tsunade and Jiraiya came along, his treatmentpletely changed, and now he was a higher-up, Uzumaki Naruto.


    Why should he restrain himself now? With Jiraiya and Tsunade around, could Danzo make a move against him? The answer was obvious.


    Tsunade stared at Naruto, her face clearly showing her displeasure. She realized that Naruto had been hiding something from her, and her first thought was, ¡®Did that old rascal Jiraiya know about this?¡¯


    "Is the Kyubi really no longer inside your body?" She asked.


    "No, it¡¯s not." Naruto pulled back his chair and stood up, lifting his shirt to reveal his belly, "The Four Symbols Seal is gone. I can¡¯t fake that, right?"


    "My teacher has also confirmed it¡­ Kyubi is gone."


    Tsunade didn''t react much and leaned back into her seat. Although she still had doubts in her heart, hearing that Jiraiya had confirmed it made her feel less anxious.


    However, the other Konoha¡¯s higher-ups in the conference room were far from asposed as she was. The news of a missing Biju immediately threw them into chaos.


    "How is that possible? How could a Biju just disappear without reason? You must have done something!"


    "Yes, it¡¯s impossible for a Jinchuriki to survive without their Biju. This situation is not that simple! I think the Anbu should investigate this thoroughly and get to the bottom of it." One person chimed in.


    "That makes sense. The current situation is strange and we can''te to any conclusion for the time being. After all, the Biju and Jinchuriki rely on each other''s power. They coexist symbiotically and can''t exist independently."


    "How could something like this happen at such a critical moment? Even if we investigate and find out, who can bring the Kyubi back? If we make a big move, the other viges will notice. I suggest sealing off all information before conducting a thorough investigation."


    "Sealing off the information isn¡¯t so easy, and waiting around isn¡¯t going to solve anything either! The Biju is gone and won¡¯t being back. The most urgent thing is to strengthen our defenses. Sunagakure¡¯s Jinchuriki has returned."


    Everyone was talking at once, their voices ovepping. Koharu and Homura sat silently, their brows tightly furrowed. Danzo, seated among them, wore a grim expression but remained still.


    Finally, Danzo couldn''t hold back anymore and spoke, fixing his gaze on Naruto.


    "Do you know what you''re saying, Uzumaki Naruto?"


    As soon as Danzo spoke, the entire conference room fell silent. In Konoha, hierarchy was strictly observed, and even the higher-ups had to show respect in front of Danzo.


    "I know, Kyubi ran away." Naruto replied lightly.


    After receiving adequate nutrition over the past year, Naruto had grown significantly taller, almost reaching 170 cm, making him one of the taller ones among his peers.


    Standing there, his demeanor didn¡¯t show the usual nervousness of an ordinary teenager.


    "Enough of this nonsense! Don¡¯t think that your indifferent attitude makes you impressive." Danzo¡¯s murky eye stared at him, "This is a major matter concerning the interests of the vige, and you have a responsibility here."


    "If you¡¯re still a Shinobi of Konoha, drop that arrogance and clearly exin the entire situation. You might not realize the consequences of your actions, but the Biju ys a crucial role in the vige¡¯s safety."


    "What does that have to do with me?" Naruto pulled out his chair, sat down with a sullen face, and looked at Danzo from across the room, "Responsible? You want me to be responsible?"


    "Why should I?"


    "Because you are the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi and a Shinobi of Konoha!" Koharu couldn''t bear it anymore and scolded with a little anger in her voice.


    Tsunade, unable to watch any longer, tapped her fingers on the table.


    "He''s still a child."


    "A child?" Homura joined in. When he thought about giving up one of the higher-up¡¯s seats in Konoha, he felt like an idiot who had been fooled.


    Obviously, he had been forced topromise and give up one of the higher-up¡¯s seats to supposedly gain a more legitimate im for Jinchuriki to contribute to the vige''s Biju development. At first, it was understandable to disagree, but with time, they would eventuallypromise.


    But what about now? Whatpromise! The Kyubi is already gone. Development? What development is there to speak of? Not only does Konoha need to constantly be on guard for the Kyubi¡¯s attack, but they also have to go to great lengths to keep this information under wraps.


    But even so, secrets are hard to keep forever, and the news will leak sooner orter. When that happens, Konoha will find itself at a disadvantage, caught between the other four Great Shinobi Viges.


    If things go wrong, even Sunagakure, which just signed a peace agreement with Konoha, might start causing trouble.


    The more Homura thought about it, the worse his mood became. And Tsunade''s remark, ¡®He''s just a kid¡¯,pletely ignited his fury.


    ¡®You call a Jinchuriki of a Biju a child?¡¯


    "Godaime, where do you ce the vige¡¯s interests? There are more children in the vige. If Konoha falls into war, the fate of those children will be even more tragic."


    Homura said grimly, "Kumogakure has always been restless, and Iwagakure is targeting Konoha as well. War isn''t just talk, it could be a reality at any moment."


    The atmosphere in the conference room instantly grew tense, with Danzo maintaining a stern expression. While it seemed like they were holding Naruto ountable, in reality, they were putting pressure on Tsunade.


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Naruto''s suddenughter broke the oppressive mood in the room, causing Homura to frown with displeasure.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "What am Iughing at?" Naruto wore an incredulous expression and asked back, "What do you think I¡¯mughing at? I¡¯mughing at how foolish and ipetent all of you here are."


    "What did you say?" Homura''s patience was also running thin.


    "Did I not make myself clear enough?" Naruto nced around before continuing, "Has Konoha be so rotten? Just because the Kyubi disappeared, it seems like Konoha is going to copsepletely."


    "The reason Shodaime Hokage-sama capturing the Kyubi was to suppress and seal it, but what about now? The Kyubi is out of control and you can''t suppress it, and in the end, you just want to put the me on the Jinchuriki."


    "Since Konoha can''t handle the Kyubi, isn¡¯t it better that it¡¯s gone? What¡¯s the benefit of keeping it? You all keep talking about protecting the vigers of Konoha, but your true reasons are dubious."


    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Koharu said sternly.


    "I''m not talking nonsense." Naruto''s attitude also became tougher, and he nced at Tsunade, who didn¡¯t look at him, so he continued.


    "I''ve been wanting to say this for a long time. Whoever wants to be the Jinchuriki can be the Jinchuriki. If you have the ability, catch the Kyubi and find a new Jinchuriki. Or try and see if you can make me bow down."


    "If you have the guts, then kill me. Don¡¯t treat me like a child you can fool. Aren¡¯t you all so good at pushing heroes to their deaths? Try it again and tell everyone in Konoha that this is the fate of Konoha¡¯s heroes. This is the fate of the descendants of Konoha¡¯s heroes."


    Naruto stared straight at Danzo and the two old Advisors, "I just don¡¯t get it. Why should I be kind? Why should I be the one to make sacrifices?"


    "You''re just doing what you think is right, without caring about the life or death of the Jinchuriki. You keep saying Jinchuriki, but who is the Jinchuriki?"


    The more Naruto spoke, the angrier he became. A thick, fiery red Chakra appeared behind Naruto, forming the outline of a fox''s shadow. Immediately, everyone in the meeting room shot to their feet with a collective gasp.


    ¡®Damn, it¡¯s the Kyubi!¡¯


    Only Naruto and the four top leaders remained seated, with serious expressions on their faces.


    "Don''t be surprised. Just because Kyubi ran away is gone doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t use its power." Naruto said in a deep voice, "You¡¯re all afraid of the Nine-Tails, but I¡¯m not. What you can¡¯t do, I can."


    "You keep saying Jinchuriki¡­ But what do you all even count for?"

 Chapter 251 Reason is a Good Thing

    Chapter 251 Reason is a Good Thing


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    "Arrogant!" Homura couldn''t hold back anymore and snapped.


    This was the first time anyone had dared to speak so disrespectfully in such a setting. Even the Uchiha n in the past, no matter how proudful they are, had to swallow their pride in front of the high-ups.


    Could a mere former Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki be more difficult to deal with than the unruly Uchiha n?


    The problem is, Naruto is indeed more difficult to deal with.


    Naruto shot a nce at Homura and frowned in displeasure. He then cleared his throat and said, "So what? If the esteemed advisor has anyints about me, you can file them with the Hokage¡¯s Office after this meeting. As the n Head of the Uzumaki n, I will handle them appropriately."


    He was the one who acted like a hooligan, yet now he is the one talking about reason.


    "You!" Homura was momentarily speechless, feeling utterly frustrated. He felt Naruto was too shameless, and dealing with him is just like dealing with Tsunade.


    "What n Head? You think you can be a n Head of a one-person n?" Koharu voiced her dissatisfaction.


    As for the other minor high-ups in the room, they didn¡¯t dare to make a sound.


    When gods are fighting, it¡¯s best to watch from the sidelines and not recklessly get involved. After all, even though Tsunade remained silent, her gaze asionally swept over everyone present.


    That feeling was terrifying, like being watched by a supreme deity, making them all tremble.


    "A one-person n?" Naruto shifted in his seat, making himself morefortable in the soft chair, and spoke up.


    "The way you¡¯re all talking makes me feel out of ce, like I¡¯m some kind of oddity here. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not used to it either, tolerating an unknown tool speaking out like this."


    "You are still putting on airs and acting superior. I am now one of the higher-ups, the n Head of the Uzumaki n. You think it¡¯s insignificant because it¡¯s a one-person n? Do I have to make a move and sh with you before you¡¯ll acknowledge it?"


    Koharu didn''t say anything, her cloudy eyes simply staring at him with a cold glint.


    Naruto had always kept in mind what Tsunade had once told him: status is never earned through reputation alone, it¡¯s fought for with power.


    He also knew that Tsunade had done her utmost to secure his entry into the higher-ups¡¯ rank. Now that he no longer had the Kyubi, if he wanted to solidify his position among the higher-ups, he would have to prove his worth.


    The higher-ups wanted a Jinchuriki with a symbolic title, then used Konoha¡¯s name to exploit him. Essentially, they still saw him as an essory to the Kyubi.


    Compared to the Kyubi, the name Uzumaki Naruto held no value, and the higher-ups didn¡¯t even bother to acknowledge him.


    Offering him a nominal position among the higher-ups was like tossing Naruto a piece of candy in exchange for keeping the Jinchuriki obedient. To them, it was probably a worthwhile deal.


    But no one had anticipated that Naruto was no longer the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki.


    All thepromises the higher-ups had made were based on the assumption that Naruto was still the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki. Now that this assumption no longer held, there was no way the higher-ups would treat him kindly.


    Naruto''s choice to confront them at this critical juncture might seem unwise, but if he were to back down now, then Tsunade¡¯s guidance would have been for nothing.


    Who did they think they were? Sure, there were powerful individuals like Danzo among the higher-ups.


    However, this is a world where strength reigns supreme. The Advisors were restrained by their dignity, so they were reluctant to personally handle vige¡¯s affairs. Danzo, too, wouldn¡¯t lose hisposure over a moment of anger.


    In front of these old foxes, Naruto had to disy his edge to secure his position firmly. Tsunade had gotten him a ticket into the higher-ups, but she never said he had to settle for being just a figurehead.


    If previously, the key that allowed Naruto to enter this meeting room was the Kyubi, then now, it was his own strength that validated his worth.


    A power independent of the Biju¡­ This was only the tip of the iceberg of all the strength he possessed.


    In the conference room.


    Most of the minor higher-ups instinctively stood up, with only Naruto and the four top leaders calmly seated in their chairs. Tsunade''s gaze wasn''t on him but passed through him to the minor higher-ups.


    Today''s meeting was just a routine discussion, so most of the higher-ups close to the Hokage didn''t show up.


    Everyone''s eyes turned to Konoha''s core leaders, the four top leaders.


    The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Each of the minor higher-ups looked at Naruto with a mixture of fear and apprehension, unable toprehend the situation.


    ¡®He lost the Biju but still being able to use its power?¡¯


    ¡®Has he turned into a monster? Have they merged?¡¯


    p! p! p! p!


    At the height of tension, slow apuse echoed through the room,ing from the Hokage¡¯s seat. Danzo and the two advisors had no intention of speaking, as arguing back would only lower their stature.


    Arguing with Tsunade was eptable, even shing with other minor higher-ups was fine, but quarreling with a junior was a losing game. It doesn''t matter how stiff the situation is, anyway, Naruto is Tsunade''s person, and Tsunade will definitely mediate.


    That''s right, Tsunade would step in.


    When she felt it was the right moment, she stood up and pped a few times with feigned enthusiasm. Tsunade was good at acting, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she spoke.


    Naruto didn¡¯t look at her expression but focused on her eyes, detecting a hint of displeasure. His heart immediately skipped a beat, thinking, ¡®It¡¯s over. Once the meeting ended, I was done for.¡¯


    "Konoha needs the strength of the new generation, and the matter of the Kyubi will be set aside for now. Since one of our leaderships, Uzumaki Naruto, has the ability to take on significant responsibilities, it¡¯s a positive thing for the vige."


    "I am very pleased. Kakashi also took on the responsibility of being an Anbu Commander at his age. I hope to see that¡­"


    Tsunade¡¯s words consistently revolved around the vige''s interests, repeatedly tying Kakashi and Naruto together. She spoke of the vige but never strayed far from the higher-ups loyal to the Hokage.


    Tsunade simply and skillfully glossed over the conflict, while at the same time, made Kakashi''s presence more highlighted. With a wave of her hand, Tsunade hastily concluded the meeting.


    The room cleared and the conference room was soon empty.


    "You,e here." Tsunade waved at Naruto, and the room fell silent.


    Naruto was no longer as arrogant as before, and walked over obediently. He didn¡¯t dare to nce around, and stood there with his head down.


    "How long have you been hiding this from me?"


    "Not long, just a few months." Naruto looked like a man caught cheating by his wife, with his face pale at the moment.


    Even if Tsunade had asked him about the Kyubi¡¯s whereabouts or the details of what happened, he wouldn¡¯t have been this nervous. But the moment she asked how long he had been hiding it, he knew he was in serious trouble, as it had be a matter of principle.


    "Not long? A few months isn''t long?" Tsunade sat in her soft chair, her figure slender yet curvy, her baster-like hand resting on the table.


    Tap, tap.


    She tapped on the table twice out of habit, causing Naruto¡¯s back to straighten instantly.


    "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" Tsunade''s expression darkened, looking genuinely angry. Looking at the tall boy in front of her, she feltplicated for a moment.


    "Well¡­ the Kyubi just disappeared suddenly, and I¡¯m not entirely sure myself." Naruto awkwardly exined, knowing he couldn''t reveal everything.

 Chapter 252 This Is Men’s Bathroom

    Chapter 252 This Is Men¡¯s Bathroom


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    Kyubi had indeed disappeared, and as for the fact that it was hidden in a foxhound, he could just pretend that he didn''t know. Even if he was identally exposed, he could just me Kurama.


    He knew Tsunade didn''t like beating around the bush, so he apologized honestly.


    "I should have told you earlier, not dragged it out until now."


    Upon hearing this, Tsunade frowned slightly, her figure half-sunken into the soft chair. She wasn¡¯t entirely satisfied with Naruto¡¯s answer, but she still restrained her temper and said, "Don''t keep things from me. If you think you can handle it, that''s fine. But if not, don''t push yourself too hard."


    After saying this, without waiting for Naruto to answer, Tsunade turned and walked away, her heels clicking crisply against the floor.


    Suddenly, Naruto was the only one left in the vast conference room. Thinking about Tsunade''s words, he raised his eyebrows, feeling that he¡¯s really in trouble. As Tsunade was genuinely upset this time.


    Fortunately, he didn''t dwell on it too much and shamelessly carried on with his ns.


    With a loud smack, he pped his mission application on the desk at the mission assignment center and cleared his throat before saying, "I want to insert myself into this mission."


    The person in charge of the mission management department was a little old man wearing sses as thick as the bottom of a beer bottle. He was so angry at Naruto''s arrogant behavior that he almost had a fit.


    "This is a mission that will begin tomorrow. It''s against the rules," The old man said.


    Naruto frowned, staring at the old man, and said with some displeasure, "Rules are made by people. Can''t they be changed?"


    ¡°They can''t be changed.¡±


    "Hmm?"


    "No, I mean, these rules were set by the Godaime Hokage-sama." The old man had obviously also participated in the meeting just now, and was obviously a little scared.


    The Jinchuriki in front of him is no longer an ordinary Jinchuriki. He can still use his power without the Biju. In short, Naruto had be something too formidable to ignore.


    Having mere authority wasn''t frightening, what was truly intimidating were those higher-ups with overwhelming power, standing at the pinnacle, like Konoha''s four top leaders who looked down on everything.


    Naruto was now practically halfway into the ranks of the four top leaders. Why only halfway? Because his strength was already there, but his reputation wasn''t enough. Unless he saved the entire world, even bing Hokage was very unlikely.


    Luckily, his ambitions didn''t lie in bing Hokage, but more about enjoying life and indulging in pleasures.


    To put it simply, the fact that he lives in this body is a tragedy, as a symbol of righteousness forced upon him. While admirable qualities were imposed on him, he was ultimately not the real Naruto, and these noble traits weighed heavily on him, filling him with disdain.


    Tsunade hoped Naruto would face the world positively, aiming to lead him down a lively path filled with people, involving more and more individuals and intertwining their lives with him.


    The higher-ups, on the other hand, wanted him to be devoid of independent thought, utterly loyal to the vige, crushing all other Shinobi Viges, and bing a human weapon of immense deterrence.


    But what Naruto desired was to sweep through the Shinobi Viges, not in battle but among the viges¡¯ women, intimidating the Kunoichi of the Shinobi World. His ideals had already deviated from the start, so it was destined that it would be impossible for Naruto to align with the higher-ups'' vision.


    Although it was just a joke, as he really hadn''t thought about choosing a specific life to live. His journey had been full of unexpected turns, surprising everyone, even Tsunade.


    He had his own way of living. If there were obstacles too difficult to ovee, he¡¯d simply resort to brute force!


    "The rules set by the Godaime Hokage-sama, they do not allow sudden changes to missions. If adjustments must be made, they must be personally reviewed by her." The old man nervously added.


    "Wait here." Naruto left a sentence, snatched up the mission application form, and set off to go through the proper channels.


    Naruto took three steps at a time up the staircase, reaching the top floor of the Hokage Tower in no time. Once there, he slowed his pace, cautiously approaching the door to the Hokage''s Office and peeking inside.


    Tsunade was working, and judging by her expression, she wasn¡¯t in a good mood.


    At the doorway, Naruto hesitated, unsure if he should enter. Shizune, walking down the hallway, noticed Naruto crouched and spying through the door, so she couldn''t help but ask, "Naruto, what are you¡­?"


    ¡®Well, now I had no choice but to go in.¡¯


    In the Hokage''s Office, Shizune came in and delivered some documents before promptly left. Tsunade lifted her head and frowned at Naruto, then asked unhappily, "What do you need?"


    "I just need your stamp." Naruto nervously took out the application form.


    Tsunade nced at it, thought for a moment, and then stamped it. She didn¡¯t give him much attitude and, after a few words of advice, sent him on his way.


    Back at the mission admission center, Naruto pped the approved form onto the desk.


    "Hurry up, don''t dawdle." Naruto said unhappily,pletely different from his humble appearance in the Hokage''s Office just now.


    "Right away¡­ Right away."


    The old man had already left, leaving a girl in her early twenties to handle Naruto. She looked so flustered, as if she were a hostage being threatened.


    The process wasn¡¯tplicated, though Naruto didn¡¯t know what the old man had told her to make her so scared.


    Naruto curled his lips but said nothing. Once the paperwork wasplete, he grabbed the mission assignment and headed off to report to Asuma.


    ¡®Nowadays, even the higher-ups have to do missions¡­¡¯


    What else was Naruto supposed to do? He was single and bored.


    Asuma, puffing on a cigarette, nced repeatedly at the mission form, which was covered in approval stamps, ¡®Everything seemed in order. And there¡¯s no problem with the procedure.¡¯


    Still, Asuma couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Naruto had another motive for this.


    The cigarette embers glowed as Asuma took the final drag, then he looked up at Naruto, and said, "Naruto, could you please step out for a moment? This is a men''s bathroom after all, and though you¡¯re a guy too, it¡¯s just..."


    "Cough cough." Naruto quickly backed out.


    When Asuma finally came out, the first thing he said was, "Come on, Uzumaki Naruto-sama, let''s go meet them together."


    Clearly, Asuma had heard about the meeting that morning. His yful tone was matched with a friendly pat on Naruto''s shoulder. As the son of Sandaime, Asuma was loyal to the Hokage¡¯s faction, so he didn¡¯t mind seeing Naruto rise in rank.


    "Meet who?" Naruto blinked in confusion.

 Chapter 253 Ino’s Tears

    Chapter 253 Ino¡¯s Tears


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    Afternoon.


    Choji was stuffing the barbecue into his mouth, his tiny, beady eyes scanning the room before fixing on Naruto and Ino, who were seated across from him.


    "Seriously, Naruto, that was pretty uncool of you."


    "What do you mean uncool?"


    Naruto spread his hands in mock innocence. The table was surrounded by his close friends, Naruto was sprawled outfortably on the long sofa, hisnky frame rxed. Ino sat beside him.


    "Why didn¡¯t you tell us about something that big?" Shikamaru chimed in, reclining on the sofa as well, sipping on a ss of watermelon juice.


    "How can I exin this? I didn¡¯t even know what was happening myself." Naruto pouted and said, "Besides, it happened suddenly, and nothing bad came of it, right?"


    "Well, maybe it¡¯s not all bad now. At least we don''t have to worry so much." Shikamaru said ambiguously, deliberately avoiding the topic of Jinchuriki.


    Ino remained unusually quiet, focused on mixing the sauces beside her.


    Clearly, the recent event was still fresh in their minds, but the group didn¡¯t linger on the topic from that morning and quickly shifted the conversation to their mission.


    "Something¡¯s off. Why did you suddenly want to join this mission?" Shikamaru shot Naruto a suspicious nce, then shifted his gaze to Ino, asking with a hint of curiosity, "What''s going on?"


    "Huh?" Ino¡¯s face flushed briefly, feeling a little guilty.


    She knew exactly why Naruto insisted on joining their mission, and the more she understood, the hotter her face became. In that moment, she tried hard to shift her thoughts away and dismiss her feelings.


    "This mission is too dangerous, and I¡¯m worried about I¡­" Naruto was about to mention Ino¡¯s name when a sharp pain shot through his side, where Ino had covertly jabbed him, causing him to stumble over his words.


    "I¡¯m worried about Chiriku-san¡¯s safety. We¡¯ve got a decent rtionship, so I figured I¡¯d tag along."


    Shikamaru and Choji didn¡¯t notice Ino¡¯s subtle move, but Asuma, sitting on the outside, did. He just chuckled lightly, then stood up and said with a slightly mncholy tone, "I''m going to step outside for a smoke."


    "Hmm?" Ino turned her head, seemingly realizing something.


    Shikamaru frowned and said, "Asuma-sensei, weren¡¯t you told to cut back on smoking? Why are you smoking again?"


    "This¡­" Asuma already had the cigarette between his lips, "This is thest one for today."


    Naruto also noticed that Shikamaru and Asuma had a deeper rtionship. Ino was into flowers, Choji was all about food, but Shikamaru¡¯s intellectual nature made him morepatible with Asuma.


    Watching Asuma¡¯s back as he left the restaurant, Naruto couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit downcast, ¡®Did I backstab an old single guy? But wasn''t he close to Kurenai?¡¯


    ¡®Forget it.¡¯ Naruto thought. After all, he was still a ¡®herbivorous¡¯ youth and had no reason to care about an older man¡¯s romantic history.


    "Naruto, do you know Chiriku-san from the Fire Temple?" Choji put down his chopsticks and suddenly asked.


    "We are fairly acquainted." Naruto hesitated for a moment before responding, "Chiriku-san and Asuma-sensei both served in the Twelve Guardian Ninja. They¡¯re closer to each other."


    After they had eaten and drank their fill, Asma paid the bill. He really had no shortage of money. He was a second-generation young master, and except for not having a wife and looking a bit older than his age, he was practically living the dream.


    Born into the prestigious Sarutobi n, Asuma had everything he could want at a young age. But when Sandaime once said that the Hokage wasn¡¯t the most important person in the vige, it made Asuma, who had rebelled in his youth, feel like the Hokage¡¯s role was too low-tier.


    In an act of rebellion, he left Konoha and became the personal bodyguard for the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. It¡¯s a ssic tale of a young man striking out on his own. Ten yearster, he returned as a different man.


    No longer the rebelling youth, Asuma returned as a reformed delinquent, but still wearing his rebellious fashion sense.


    His father, Sandaime, weed him back with open arms. He then inherited the Sarutobi n''s legacy, and he even had a childhood friend, Kurenai, waiting for him. He was a ssic example of a second-generation young master sess story.


    It''s just that this time the timeline has moved forward a bit, and Chiriku had luckily avoided a tragic fate. So, the mission this time was mainly about investigating and searching, not chasing after the Immortal Duo.


    The primary goal of the mission was to go to the Fire Temple, investigate any clues, and protect Chiriku for a while until the end of the mission.


    If there is still no result after investigating for a period of time, the mission will most likely be cancelled.


    So, apart from Naruto and Ino, no one really took this mission too seriously. After all, it was just a simple investigation and search centered on the Fire Temple, nothing too dangerous.


    Asuma had to leave for something, and Shikamaru and Choji left together, which meant only Naruto and Ino were left sitting at the table. Naruto was about to say something when someone outside nced at them briefly before walking away.


    It was a look of fear, and after pausing for a second, the person quickly turned and left.


    Naruto was a bit speechless when he saw this, ¡®Even while eating, I still couldn¡¯t avoid running into people from the Hokage¡¯s Office.¡¯


    "Shall I walk you home?" Naruto turned to look at Ino and asked.


    Ino thought for a moment and said, "Let''s go to your ce."


    Naruto was ttered for a moment. Ino hadn¡¯t been to his ce in a while, and he was starting to think maybe he¡¯d been too intense and scared her off.


    "Sure!" He agreed quickly.


    "Don''t think too much." Ino nced at him and skillfully tied up her golden ponytail. "I just have something to ask you, and it¡¯s not convenient to talk here."


    "What is it?"


    "Well, nothing for now. Let¡¯s talk when we get there." Ino replied.


    When Naruto heard this, he felt a little uneasy, ¡®First Tsunade, and now Ino¡­ everyone¡¯s reactions were different. Was he really in that much trouble?¡¯


    However, Kyubi¡¯s escape was indeed a bigger deal than any other issue. After all, Kyubi is a Biju capable of destroying everything without blinking an eye, but Naruto didn''t think so.


    ¡®No matter how violent a Biju was, even they had to cower in the face of power, but women? They were a whole different level ofplexity.¡¯


    The walk wasn¡¯t too long, though it felt like forever. Ino walked ahead while Narutogged behind, sometimes picking up his pace to catch up with her.


    However, Ino didn¡¯t seem to react, almost as if she didn¡¯t notice. She simply chose to ignore him.


    In silence, they went upstairs. Ino pulled out a key, slid it into the lock with practiced ease, and opened the door with a creak. Naruto followed behind her.


    As the door swung open, Ino squatted by the entrance, not saying a word.


    She curled up, wrapping her arms around her knees, her once radiant golden hair dull and hanging low as she buried her face into her knees.


    Afternoon sunlight streamed through the crack in the door, casting light at Naruto¡¯s feet.


    Naruto¡¯s usual cheeky grin faded. He was at a loss. The summer breeze blew in from outside, carrying the scent of sun-dried leaves.


    "Ino?" Naruto called out awkwardly, unsure of what to say after that. He stood there, mouth half-open, unable to form any words.


    Ino had always been good at reading the room. She could easily pick up on the little details from various bits of gossip and rumors to find the truth she was looking for.


    In fact, she could sense the awkward situation Naruto was in. After spending so much time with him, she knew his personality well. Naruto wouldn¡¯t just suddenly seek a higher position in the vige without reason.


    It was just that things hade to this point and he had no choice but to make this move. Others thought Naruto was very impressive, but she didn''t think so.


    Naruto¡¯s perceived power and authority werergely due to his identity as a Jinchuriki, a role forced upon him. Now that he was no longer a Jinchuriki, it should¡¯ve been a relief, a good thing. Yet, Ino felt an unshakable sense of difort.


    Perhaps it was because the entire situation felt unrted to her. Even though Naruto was no longer a Jinchuriki, nothing seemed to change, and all she could do was watch helplessly.


    Naruto reached out, trying to pull Ino to her feet, but when she lifted her face, it shocked him Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes red and swollen as if inmed.


    ¡®How was it that someone could cry so silently? It was bizarre.¡¯


    Naruto thought to himself, but then his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

 Chapter 254 The Kind-Hearted Ino

    Chapter 254 The Kind-Hearted Ino


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    "I¡¯m going back." Ino hurriedly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and stood up to leave.


    "Hey! Wait a minute." Naruto quickly grabbed her.


    Ino looked shocked for a moment when he held her back, but her tears continued to flow uncontrobly. Her emotions couldn¡¯t be calmed so quickly, though they were momentarily interrupted.


    Naruto thought for a second and then pulled Ino into a hug.


    Even though he didn¡¯t fully understand why Ino was crying, he figured it didn¡¯t matter for now. It¡¯s better tofort her first and ask questionster. He wasn¡¯t a god, so he couldn''t know everything.


    After a while, Ino sat on the sofa, fidgeting ufortably. Now that her emotions had calmed down, she realized she might¡¯ve overreacted and was feeling a little embarrassed.


    Naruto walked out of the kitchen with a ss of water and ced it in front of her.


    "Thank you." She murmured softly, her face flushing as she lowered her head.


    ¡®So embarrassing!!!¡¯ Ino couldn¡¯t help but thought. Her fingers fidgeted with the sofa, feeling awkward to the point she could scratch holes into it. On the way here, she had just felt low, but once she arrived, she couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions.


    "Just now¡­" Naruto did not sit down, but stood nearby and looked at Ino, "What''s wrong with you?"


    "N-nothing." She quickly took a sip from the ss, trying to hide her flustered feelings. "I guess I¡¯ve just had a lot on my mindtely, so..."


    Ino remembered the hug she had just received at the entrance, and immediately stopped talking. She didn''t know why her mood improved a lot by just a hug.


    ¡®Who knew that a simple hug could be soforting?¡¯


    Ino¡¯s mind started drifting as she stared nkly at the ss.


    "I''m now. I¡­ I think I¡¯ll head back." Ino stammered, standing up abruptly, her eyes darting toward the door, "We have a mission tomorrow. I should go home and get ready."


    "It¡¯s still early, though." Naruto said and walked to the balcony, then turned back to look at Ino on the sofa, "Why don¡¯t you stay a bit longer? I¡¯ll walk you hometer."


    Ino opened her mouth but found herself unable to refuse.


    ¡®Staying a little longer didn¡¯t seem like a big deal.¡¯ Ino thought like this, and nodded. Then, she didn''t know where to look, and her eyes stayed on the edge of the ss.


    Her lips parted unconsciously as she pressed them against the rim, feeling a bit frustrated.


    Suddenly, there was a rustling noise as the balcony window slid open. Quiet as a mouse, Kurama poked his head in from outside, his ears twitching at the sounds inside. The moment he saw Naruto and Ino on the couch, he muttered to himself, ¡®Damn it.¡¯


    Then, he awkwardly crawled inside on all fours.


    "He¡¯s back?" Ino stood up.


    "Yeah." Naruto exchanged a nce with Kurama. Noticing the fox¡¯s look of disdain, he smirked and said, "Probably went to see his old lover."


    Kurama was startled and was about to jump up and smack Naruto with his paw when he was suddenly picked up by someone.


    "Does he really have a mate?" Ino asked curiously, her embarrassment temporarily reced by curiosity as she looked at Naruto with wide, inquisitive eyes.


    ¡®Like hell I do! Hmph, I just found another foolish human servant. But that woman is also an idiot, she gave me her entire dinner.¡¯


    ¡®When I asked for wine, she went to get it without question. Sure, that ce was huge, and I nearly got lost, but the wine was definitely worth it. Way better than the stuff this brat gets for me.¡¯


    Kurama raised his head haughtily, feeling no guilt whatsoever. As if it was natural for him to have two rtionships at the same time, he shed a sly grin. At this time, he no longer saw Naruto as his master.


    "Probably not. Even a dog would have a hard time being attracted to that guy." Naruto picked up the ss and took a sip, then realized he had made a mistake as it was Ino¡¯s and put it down awkwardly.


    Luckily, Ino wasn¡¯t paying attention to him. She was too busy ying with Kurama, who lookedpletely defeated as he let her pet him, his eyes zed over.


    "He can even raise his hands?" Ino was having a lot of fun.


    Naruto had no expression on his face. He couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡®Kurama could do more than just raise his paws. Well, if Ino saw Kurama opening a bottle and chug down the alcohol, she¡¯d probably question her entire reality.¡¯


    After ying with Kurama for a while, Ino finally let the fox go, and the two of them changed shoes and stepped outside.


    Just before closing the door, Naruto caught a glimpse of Kurama jumping onto the sofa, pulling out a bottle of sake from underneath. The sound of the bottle popping open was drowned out by the door closing with a soft thud.


    "Let''s go." He turned to face Ino and said.


    He had no idea what was going through Ino¡¯s mind from start to finish, ¡®She felt bad, came over to cry, yed with Kurama, and now she seemed fine?¡¯


    ¡®Maybe Kurama¡¯s biggest use was just that¡­ being a ything to lift spirits. After all, Kurama wasn''t exactly the most useful, just a Biju after all.¡¯


    "I don''t actually have anything to do today, but I just feel like I can''t help you in any way, so..." Ino said in a low voice when she saw that there was no one around.


    "Eh?" Naruto came back to his senses and looked at Ino in surprise, "You don¡¯t need to think like that. I can handle things on my own."


    He wracked his brain, trying to convince her he didn¡¯t need any help. After all, the only person who was truly against him was Danzo, and the two old Advisors were just trying to maintain Konoha¡¯s bnce of power.


    With Tsunade and Jiraiya here, as well as the Hokage''s loyal followers, he wouldn''t suffer any loss unless something unexpected happened.


    Taking a step back, at Ino''s age, this kind of thing is not something she should consider. She was too mature for her years, aware of issues she didn¡¯t need to be involved with. That naturally weighed on her.


    "But I want to help you." Ino said in a muffled voice.


    "The problem is, this isn¡¯t something you can help with. It¡¯s far beyond what a Genin should be worrying about. You don¡¯t need to carry this burden." Naruto exined.


    "I think I know why you''re unhappy." He sighed.


    "I already told you." Ino mumbled.


    "No, I mean the deeper issue." Naruto said. "When you learned about something you can¡¯t solve, you¡¯ll feel powerless but still thinking about it, then you will feel ufortable."


    "Next time, try not to think about it too much. Really, it¡¯s not a big deal. A few years down the line, when you¡¯re a Jonin, you¡¯ll have the power to make a difference. You¡¯ll also worry less."


    "How many years will that take?" Ino sighed as well.


    "Don¡¯t worry, time flies. Isn¡¯t the Chunin Exams starting soon? After that, you¡¯ll be a Chunin, and soon after that, a Jonin. You¡¯ll be so busy you won¡¯t even notice the time passing."


    He was starting to feel parched after all the talking. He had to give Ino psychological counseling, which made him feel a little depressed. He, the person involved, wasn¡¯t even upset, yet Ino was the one carrying the emotional burden.


    ¡®Ino was just too kind-hearted¡­ She¡¯s always thinking about others, which made it hard for her to be happy. It was normal for her to asionally get stuck in her own head.¡¯


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 255 Kurama’s Second ‘Servant’

    Chapter 255 Kurama¡¯s Second ¡®Servant¡¯


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    "You always lie to me." Ino snorted.


    "How can this be considered a lie?" Naruto walked beside her, his eyes scanning the street. He suddenly remembered the rainy afternoon when Ino¡¯s eyes had sparkled softly.


    "I¡¯ve been helping you because I like you. I don¡¯t expect anything in return. If every time I helped you, you felt the need to help me back, wouldn¡¯t that make things too rigid?"


    Ino¡¯s body stiffened for a moment, and then she quickly took a few steps ahead, putting some distance between them.


    "I don''t like you."


    "Butst time¡­"


    "No! Don¡¯t mentionst time!" Ino snapped, turning her head to re at him, "I didn''t! It wasn''t me! Don¡¯t you dare bring it up!"


    "Okay, I won¡¯t say anything." Naruto chuckled.


    "And don''tugh." She huffed, grabbing the front of Naruto¡¯s shirt.


    "I don''t want tough, but I can''t help it." Naruto said, genuinely amused. It felt as if he had finally caught on to why Ino had stopped seeking him out after thatst time.


    Konoha Street seemed to stretch endlessly before them. Ino let go of Naruto and stormed ahead, her palm sweating as she clenched her fists.


    ¡®Talking to him was exhausting. Shouldn''t we forget about those awkward moments tacitly? Damn it! What even is ¡®liking¡¯ someone? It wasn¡¯t a problem before, but now he kept bringing it up all the time. It was so infuriating.¡¯


    ¡®His likes are too casual, that guy probably says that to a lot of people. He probably likes Hinata too! He is such a scumbag, I really want to beat him up.¡¯


    "Ino!" He chased after her.


    "Don''t call me!" Ino muttered under her breath, suddenly feeling her mood souring again.


    Naruto followed her anyway and poked her arm before asking, "You really don¡¯t need to think so much about it. I helped you because I wanted to. Besides, I can¡¯t just sit back and watch you walk into danger."


    "It''s not dangerous." Ino weakly protested. After all, it was just an investigation.


    "What if?" Naruto said, "What if the Akatsuki organizationes back again? Chiriku-san is indeed strong, but he''s not unbeatable. If something unexpected happens¡­"


    "Fine."


    Ino couldn''t win against him and finally conceded, though she suddenly found the idea of going on a mission together to be somewhat exciting. She wanted to tell him that he could also be in danger, but after thinking about it, she didn''t say it out loud because she was afraid that he would fight back again.


    In a blink of an eye, they arrived at the Yamanaka Flower Shop.


    "I''m going in now." Ino lowered her head and said slowly.


    "Okay, see you tomorrow." He waved.


    The next day.


    Naruto had packed his Ninja Gear early. He returned from morning training for a quick shower before changing into fresh clothes and heading out. Today is the day for the mission, to go to the Fire Temple to investigate the whereabouts of the Immortal Duo.


    If their mission is just to investigate, the mission is really not that dangerous. And if they identally run into the two, they just need to retreat.


    However, the problem was that Asuma was a walking bounty, his head is worth 35 million ryo. It was all because of the mistakes he made in his youth, choosing to work as the Daimyo''s personal bodyguard alongside Chiriku.


    In the end, he didn''t make a name for himself, but instead got into a lot of trouble. He returned to Konoha dejectedly and returned to the arms of his father, the Hokage.


    Just after Naruto left the house, Kuramazily crawled off the couch. After wobbling on the ground for a few seconds, he skillfully opened the balcony window and jumped out.


    The sun zed down as Kurama deftly leapt across a few rooftops. He couldn''t remember the exact route, but with his shrunken form, everything seemed like towering buildings.


    He roughly remembered the direction and started walking in a straight line, jumping over buildings and skirting past narrow alleys. Eventually, he stopped in front of a tall, modest-looking wall.


    Kurama howled, a sound somewhere between a wolf and a fox, certainly not like a dog.


    After a while, the gate of the Hyuga n¡¯spound opened. A girl walked out¡­ It¡¯s Hinata, who had grown quite a bit taller. Right now, she¡¯s no longer the small and frail girl she used to be.


    She was about 160 centimeters tall, with a slender frame that made her appear even more elegant. Her short hair had grown out, now softly draping over her shoulders.


    Her forehead still sported the same curved bangs, and her eyes remained gentle and meek. As she scanned the area, her gazended on the squatting Kurama, and she broke into a smile.


    "I brought this for you today." Hinata said with a smile, pulling out a small sk from behind her.


    The sk was funnel-shaped, with a narrow spout, capable of holding only about the volume of two fists. Even if filled to the brim, it was nothingpared to what Kurama could usually drink, maybe only half a bottle''s worth.


    But the sake Hinata had was quite special. Naruto wouldn¡¯t have bought it, and it wasn¡¯t the kind of alcohol one could get easily. So, Kurama had no choice but to ept it, despite the small quantity.


    Although he tried to protest, the woman in front of him would always gently reply, "No, you can''t drink too much. You won''t be able to bear it."


    Kurama felt depressed, thinking to himself, ¡®I drank eight or nine bottles a day, so how could I possibly not be able to handle it?¡¯


    However, he couldn''t exactly speak out loud, and if he scared her, even this small amount of sake he got daily might disappear. Drinking was such a wonderful pleasure, after all.


    Where had he heard that from? Kurama couldn¡¯t remember. Well, some kids were always saying strange things, and somehow, he had been influenced by them.


    ¡®As long as there''s alcohol, it''s fine.¡¯


    At first, he found Hinata¡¯s endless chatter beside it a bit annoying, but over time it got used to it. asionally, he would even give her a response, as a simple paw shake would make Hinata incredibly happy.


    ¡®Hmph, simple-minded servant.¡¯


    "You came so early today." Hinata said, patting Kurama''s head. She took out a small white jade te, so exquisitely beautiful it would make anyone question reality.


    If Naruto were here, he would definitely kick Kurama away and then obsess over the te. There were some things money couldn¡¯t buy, but as the eldest daughter of the Hyuga n, Hinata could take such things out casually.


    The Hyuga n is wealthy and has a deep foundation.


    Hinata thought Kurama drinking straight from the bottle was inconvenient, so she grabbed the te from her home since nothing else seemed suitable.


    Carefully, she poured the sake into the white jade dish. The shallow te held only a few sips of sake, but Kurama eagerlypped it up.


    The fragrance of the sake filled the air, and the nted sunlight bathed the scene.


    Hinata, small and petite, crouched beside Kurama, watching as the foxhound savored the drink with singr focus. She murmured on, asionallyughing softly.


    Her smile is pure, and her eyes are soft.


    "I actually have a mission today, but Shino and the others said I don''t need to go there specially, and they wille over in the afternoon. Everyone is taking good care of me. Even though I''ve gotten stronger, I still feel like I haven¡¯t trained enough."


    Kurama looked up, and Hinata was stunned for a moment, astonished that she could read a puzzled expression from a dog''s eyes, ¡®Am I going crazy?¡¯


    ¡®Surely Naruto''s foxhound couldn¡¯t be a Ninken, right? Could it really understand me?¡¯


    Hinata was nervous for a moment, but quickly dismissed the thought as Kurama lowered his head again.

 Chapter 256 Jashin’s Hymn

    Chapter 256 Jashin¡¯s Hymn


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    Kurama thought to himself, ¡®Humans are strange. What''s the point of getting stronger? It''s better to just enjoy some sake.¡¯


    Hinata had no idea what Kurama was thinking, but she patiently watched as he drank the sake bit by bit from the te. Then, she muttered a few more words, stood up and waved goodbye.


    After drinking his fill, Kurama casually headed back toward Naruto''s apartment. But after a few steps, he turned his head to nce back at the Hyuga n¡¯spound, with an expression of contemtion crossing his face.


    Over time, Kurama had enjoyed quite a bit of sake from Hinata, though the quantity was always small. However, the quality made up for it. If he could get both quantity and quality, Kurama would''ve long switched loyalties.


    ¡®I want to drink, and that woman seems to like that kid. If I could find a way to make that woman happy, then maybe¡­¡¯ Kurama shook his head and continued to mull over a possible n.


    A few dayster.


    The Fire Temple weed the arrival of Konoha¡¯s Shinobi. Chiriku emerged from the main hall, which had not yet been renovated, and met everyone with a serious face.


    Asuma followed a monk into the rear hall, with Naruto trailing behind. Naruto nced at the crumbling walls, a sense of unease settling in as he estimated the strength of the Akatsuki¡¯s Immortal Duo.


    His body tensed instinctively, mixed with a sense of excitement, ¡®After more than a year, I was once again facing the Akatsuki.¡¯ Even if it was just traces left behind by the Immortal Duo, Naruto was mentally prepared.


    ¡®I will definitely take revenge on Itachi and Kisame for the blows they inflicted.¡¯ Naruto thought resolutely.


    However, those two were likely busy capturing Gobi by now. After all, their attempt to capture the Kyubi¡¯s Jinchuriki had failed miserably. There was no way Itachi and Kisame were taking a break, and their next best target would be Gobi.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Ino tugged on his arm, "What were you looking at?"


    "Nothing." Naruto waved his hand. "Just a quick look. The Akatsuki¡¯s members are really dangerous."


    "Yeah." Ino said, stealing a quick nce at the copsed temple walls, then her face paled slightly.


    Her understanding of the Akatsuki was limited to the fact that they wereposed of powerful Missing-nin. It was difficult for her to understand the horror of the Immortal Duo just by listening to Asuma''s simple description.


    But the ruins before them were real. The yet-to-be-repaired temple walls looked like gaping wounds, looking extremely ominous and terrifying.


    The two lowered their heads and followed the others, and followed the instructions to enter the rear hall to have tea.


    Though they were in the rear hall, half of it had already been destroyed. The group rested in a slightly less dangerous side hall, where Chiriku¡¯s stern face was framed by rising wisps of steam from the tea.


    "They''reing for me."


    Naruto''s mouth twitched, thinking to himself, ¡®Even a blind person could see that. Chiriku-san, there¡¯s no need to keep up the act of being an unshakeable monk.¡¯


    ¡®You''ve already called for help from Konoha, yet you¡¯re still pretending to be all high and mighty.¡¯


    Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino, who didn¡¯t know Chiriku¡¯sid-back personality, sat there rigidly, each feeling the heavy weight of responsibility.


    Asuma¡¯s face shifted slightly, though he seemed to be holding something back. He likely knew the real nature of this so-called saint, who in his youth was carefree, working two jobs a year.


    But Asuma wasn¡¯t about to ruin his friend¡¯s image in front of the students. With a click, he lit a cigarette, pretending he hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    "However, I wasn¡¯t there at the time. I had just left the Fire Temple." Chiriku sighedand said, "Had I stayed a few more days, the temple wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this state."


    Hearing this, Naruto''s eyelids twitched slightly, ¡®If you had walked slower, your head would have turned into 30 million ryo by now.¡¯


    "It¡¯s been more than ten days, and there¡¯s no sign that the Akatsuki¡¯s duo ns to return. They¡¯ve probably given up." Chiriku continued.


    "While their exact motives remain unclear, I¡¯ve heard they take on a lot of bounty missions. They¡¯re likely gathering money for some grand scheme."


    "Cough cough." Naruto couldn''t hold it anymore and coughed.


    Realizing that all eyes were focused on him, he quickly pushed aside thoughts of the 600 billion Explosive Tags.


    "Uh, I need to use the bathroom."


    With a ssh, Naruto finished draining the water, but he didn''t rush back, ¡®I could ask Ino directly about what Chiriku saidter.¡¯


    He leapt onto a nearby pir, using it tounch himself up to the crown of a tall, ancient tree. From this vantage point, he surveyed the area surrounding the Fire Temple.


    ¡®This ce is still some distance away from Konoha. If we don''t find too many clues during this investigation, we will have to return directly to Konoha before the mission deadline.¡¯


    As he descended from the tree, Naruto spotted Ino walking toward him from a distance.


    Naruto asked with a smile as he walked over, "Why did youe out too?"


    "Chiriku-san said that the two people from the Akatsuki mighte back, and it''s not safe outside." Ino said with her hands sped behind her back, "Asuma-sensei is smoking inside. I feel a little stuffy, so I came out to get some fresh air."


    "Are you worried about me?" Naruto tilted his head.


    "No!" Ino retorted.


    "What were they talking about inside?"


    "Nothing much. It''s hard to exin exactly. Chiriku-san wasn¡¯t at the temple at the time, and most of the monks who witnessed the attack were killed. Not many survived." She said.


    "The clues have all run dry?" Naruto was stunned.


    "Yeah, pretty much." Ino replied, looking up at the towering tree that had survived intact, "What were you looking at just now? Surveying the surroundings?"


    As a Shinobi, this was a basic part of the job.


    "No, just taking a look around." Naruto said, "The surroundings are open, and there are not many obstructions. The mission target has already left, and the chances of theming back¡­"


    He trailed off, not wanting to specte further.


    The atmosphere at the Fire Temple was heavy, and as night began to fall, Asuma decided that the team would stay the night and resume their investigation in the morning.


    After several days of investigation, Team 10 found nothing. It had been several days since the incident, and with the summer rains having washed away many clues, tracking the Akatsuki¡¯s duo proved nearly impossible.


    If Team 8, w with their tracking skills, had been assisting, the search might have gone smoother.


    However, there is a certain degree of ovep between the auxiliary positioning of the Team 10 and Team 8. Since the purpose of the mission is just to investigate, there is no problem in sending Team 10.


    Theck of progress frustrated Asuma, who found himself smoking more than usual. Chiriku, on the other hand, seemed unfazed, calmly epting the situation.


    For aerial reconnaissance, Ino had been using her Mind Body Switch Technique to control birds forrge-scale searches, but she could only manage one bird at a time, and its range wasn¡¯t far.


    At night, after Ino finished washing up, she saw Naruto standing in the corridor, staring nkly into space.


    "What are you doing over there?"


    "Nothing." Naruto''s eyes became a little evasive, and he looked like he was frightened by something, and his voice couldn''t help but tremble slightly.


    "What''s wrong with you?" Ino, forgetting her usual reserved demeanor, hurried over to him, slightly out of breath, "What''s wrong with you?". She repeated, her brow furrowing with concern as she gazed at him.


    Naruto, startled by her sudden urgency, quickly assured her that nothing was wrong. But in the corner of his eye, a panel quietly appeared before him.


    [Option 1: Protect Chiriku or Asuma (Ensure at least one survives tonight), Reward: Max Level Wind Release Ninjutsu. (Choose one)]


    [Option 2: Kill Hidan and Kakuzu tonight. Reward: Jashin¡¯s Hymn (Eliminates all Dojutsu effects once).]


    The interface popped up suddenly a minute ago, and Naruto had barely processed anything else. What stood out most were the word ¡®tonight¡¯.


    ¡®Tonight? Hidan and Kakuzu areing?¡¯


    Naruto¡¯s face grew more serious than Ino had ever seen before. He hadn¡¯t figured out a good way to deal with Hidan yet, as his Curse Technique was too strange. If Hidan managed to get even a drop of his blood, it would be over.


    ¡®The Curse Technique, Death Controlling Possessed Blood.¡¯


    A barrage of chaotic thoughts filled Naruto¡¯s mind, ¡®This freakish Curse Technique from some distant Jashin is insane! What kind of ridiculous technique is this, wounding yourself to mortally wound someone else?¡¯


    Naruto red at the reward for Option 2, feeling a wave of frustration but also helplessness, ¡®This broken system has been like to give out rewards rted to the Jashin recently, such as Jashin¡¯s Dog or Jashin¡¯s Blessings.¡¯


    ¡®Now there¡¯s something called Jashin¡¯s Hymn, which has a good effect. But the problem is¡­ how can I kill Kakuzu and Hidan now!¡¯


    ¡®The best strategy is to take out Kakuzu first, then deal with Hidan.¡¯ Naruto thought.


    Naruto was confident he could handle Kakuzu, as he only needed to kill him five times. But Hidan... He couldn¡¯t trust Ino to face Hidan alone, as that would be too dangerous.


    ¡®Damn it! If something happened to Ino, I¡¯d lose it!¡¯


    A mess of thoughts shed through his mind, and he immediately regretted not bringing Kurama with him. But there was no time for that now. He grabbed Ino by the hand and started pulling her toward the temple.


    "This isn¡¯t the ce to talk. Let¡¯s head inside first.


    Naruto held her hand tightly, and though Ino was confused and tried to free herself, she couldn¡¯t. With no choice but to let him lead, she blinked. She was about to say something when a sudden sense of dread gripped her heart.


    For no apparent reason, her sixth sense as a Shinobi gave a warning.


    "Let''s go!" Naruto shouted. He didn''t care about anything else and pulled Ino to the rear hall.


    ¡®With Asuma and Chiriku in the rear hall, it would be no problem for the others to hold back Kakuzu and Hidan. I need to get Ino to safety so I wouldn¡¯t be distracted during the fight.¡¯


    With a loud crash, the freshly repaired temple wall copsed.


    "Well, well, you fixed it up, huh? Not afraid of dying, are you?!" Hidan¡¯s arrogant voice echoed through the night air.


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