章節 212: Chapter 211 Chiriku: I’m Just a Regular Guy From The Fire Temple
"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 welcoming 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." Naruto complimented.
Chiriku laughed 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 relationship 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 their combat abilities, their track records and qualifications were the next steps toward becoming Kage of their village. 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 villages 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 relationship 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 elaborate 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 to lack 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 black 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 becoming 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 accomplished 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 a comfortable 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 place 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 Ninjutsu comes 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 relatively 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."
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章節 213: Chapter 214 It's Going To Rain Tomorrow
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 figure completely. 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, landing 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 playfulness, "You've been doing missions with Tenten, Neji, and Lee a lot lately, 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, graduated last 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 mission last month, Team 3 was in danger and Naruto almost used the Impure World Reincarnation on an ungrateful Shinobi Village.
If he had resurrected all their ancestors, it would've been a bloodbath.
"Well, it's getting late. 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 place is completely 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 glared 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 me company during the vacation." Naruto suddenly suggested.
"Company!! Company? Why would I want to keep you company?" Ino stammered in response.
"Then I'll keep you company."
"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 to come!"
"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 glance 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 said lazily 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 explaining. 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 place was still a street away from the Yamanaka Flower Shop, they always considered the job done once they reached this point.
"I'll come 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 to come at all. But her heart betrayed her, and started racing faster and faster. She was anxious.
She had said similar 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 glanced 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 will last for a while. It's very troublesome when it rains, and it's also far…"
"I'll come early."
"Huh?" Ino looked up at him, confused for a moment.
"How about before dawn?"
"There's no need to go that far! Just... come 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 accompanying 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 glanced at him with contempt, "You'd better keep your damn fetishes in check tomorrow and not scare the customers."
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