章節 267: Chapter 267 Poor Ino is Played Around By Dark Sakura
Standing in front of Konoha's gate, Naruto jumped up and playfully patted Jiraiya on the shoulder, smiling in reassurance.
"Pervy Sage, even Fukasaku-sama has said that Senjutsu are not for me."
"You brat…" Jiraiya chuckled, feeling a bit exasperated, "We went all that way, and you're this happy about it? I really don't get you."
"It wasn't for nothing, was it?" Naruto began counting on his fingers, "At least we ate bugs! I'll probably never have to eat them again in this lifetime."
Hearing this, Jiraiya's face twitched and he said, "Even though I've eaten it so many times, the taste is still hard to describe every time I think of it."
"Besides, there's also Great Toad Sage's prophecy." Naruto said, walking alongside Jiraiya as they headed toward the village, "So, does that mean the prophecy will come true?"
"And what if it does?" Jiraiya replied as they approached the village's entrance. He greeted the two Konoha's gatekeepers spinning pens, acknowledging them with a nod.
"Pervy Sage, the prophecy said that you will eventually settle down somewhere lively, right?" Naruto asked.
"Maybe. The Great Toad Sage's prophecies have never been wrong." Jiraiya mused, and then stroked his unshaven chin and said, "But I find it hard to imagine someone like me, the great Jiraiya, ever settling down."
"In my mind, I always thought I'd die while traveling the world."
"That may be true, but wouldn't it be nice to have a stable ending?" Naruto said casually, "Dying on the road just feels too tragic."
"And dying old in a house doesn't sound like a great ending either." Jiraiya said as they walked through Konoha's streets, heading toward the Hokage Tower.
Hearing this, Naruto didn't say anything. He just rolled his eyes, and thought to himself, 'Of course, you're carefree. No one can compare to you. You're the legendary Sage of Mount Myoboku. If the rain gets too heavy, you're bound to stay in the Land of Rain.'
Hokage Tower.
Naruto briefly greeted Tsunade before leaving, while Jiraiya stayed behind for a bit.
"Not going well?" Tsunade asked, leaning back in her chair.
"Yeah." Jiraiya nodded, "Naruto couldn't merge with Natural Energy. We tried several times, but it didn't work, so we could only come back first."
"It's okay if it fails." Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly smiled, "Jiraiya, oddly enough, I'm not even disappointed to hear that… If anything, I feel a bit happy."
"Why?"
"Because he's finally not good at something. It shows he has limitations." Tsunade said, "People who are perfect in every way, with immense power, are more likely to lose themselves and go to extremes."
"Are you talking about Uchiha Itachi?" Jiraiya asked.
"Yes." Tsunade admitted, "His personality was always pessimistic, bottling up pressure until it could explode. I'm worried that he will lose himself when he becomes more powerful."
"You have a point." Jiraiya smiled, "Speaking of which, I have something else to discuss."
"What is it?" She asked.
Hearing this, Jiraiya paused, looked up and said, "I want to publicly announce that Naruto is no longer the Kyubi's Jinchuriki, and that the Kyubi has escaped from Konoha."
"This could cause unrest in the village, and the other villages, especially Kumogakure, might make a move." Tsunade said, "Konoha has just established an alliance with Sunagakure. If they hear this news…"
"I understand." Jiraiya said, looking visibly conflicted.
"But I accept." Tsunade stood up, "I've been considering it for a while. Losing the Kyubi is indeed a loss for Konoha, but keeping it in the village is also a danger that will explode sooner or later."
"The future of Konoha lies in the hands of the new generation. We need to trust in their strength."
Naruto, after returning home, yawned, washed up, and fell asleep on his bed, unaware that Tsunade was preparing to announce the Kyubi's escape.
By the time he woke up, it was already evening.
Since he was feeling hungry, Naruto decided to head out.
At the end of July, the streets of Konoha were filled with the sound of insects. In the distance, Naruto spotted a few familiar faces. Someone pointed in his direction, and a group of people turned to look at him.
"When did you get back?" Shikamaru patted his shoulder, "I haven't seen you for more than a month, and now I run into you while out for a stroll."
"I just got back today." Naruto replied, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, without his forehead protector as usual. He glanced behind Shikamaru, noticing the group with him, "You've got a lot of people with you. Where are you going?"
"Just a get-together." Shikamaru said, "What else? Everyone's here except for Shino, who's on a mission. If you're free, why don't you join us?"
"Yeah, come with us! The more, the merrier." Choji chimed in.
Naruto glanced at Ino and Sakura standing nearby. He then sighed and said, "Alright."
"How did you grow so fast all of a sudden?" Shikamaru asked enviously, "You're almost 180 cm, right?"
"No, just over 170 cm." When Naruto spoke, his eyes swept over Ino and Sakura. He always felt that there was a strange atmosphere between them.
"Why aren't you two saying anything?" He asked directly.
"N-no reason. I just don't know what to say." Ino was a little flustered and turned her head away, "Hinata will be coming to the gathering too."
"Huh?" Naruto was puzzled when he heard this.
"N-nothing." Ino's face turned bright red, feeling extremely regretful, 'Why did I have to bring that up?'
Naruto was a little confused, 'Why did she emphasize Hinata? So what if Hinata's coming?'
His eyes shifted to Sakura, who gave him a sweet smile, sending a chill down his spine.
He suddenly felt a little regretful, 'It must be Dark Sakura! Damn it!'
Naruto, who vaguely sensed something was off, chatted absentmindedly with Shikamaru and Choji, while occasionally glancing at Ino and Sakura out of the corner of his eyes, and found that the two seemed to have a good relationship.
'Weird.'
After thinking about it for a while, Naruto gave up on trying to figure it out and walked ahead. His hands swung loosely by his sides as he strode along.
Ino's face turned red as she averted her gaze, while Sakura leaned in and whispered, "Don't you like him?"
"No." Ino instinctively denied, but then her mood sank, "Hinata likes him… She told me herself."
"When?" Sakura asked.
"Last year." Ino replied.
The two women walked slowly, gradually putting some distance between themselves and the guys, so they didn't need to speak in whisper anymore.
"It happened so long ago, she might've already forgotten by now." Sakura said, "She liked him last year, but who's to say she still does this year?"
"She still does." Ino shook her head.
"How do you know?" Sakura glanced at Ino out of the corner of her eye, looking like a scheming best friend, and continued to bewitch her, "What if she doesn't?"
"There's no 'what if'." Ino insisted, "Hinata has liked him for a long time, longer than I've known him."
"And I don't like him. I don't like anyone." She added.
"Is that so? Then are you okay with just watching him and Hinata hug each other, rolling around together in the same bed?" Sakura asked casually.
"N-no, I'm not." Ino fidgeted awkwardly, "I mean, that shouldn't happen. After all, they're still too young for that."
Hearing this, Sakura's lips curled up slightly, "Oh~."
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章節 268: Chapter 268 Ptui
Sakura glanced at Ino and said, "If you're with someone you like, everything you do together becomes addictive. Over time, the relationship will become so strong that it's impossible to separate."
Hearing this, Ino's face immediately turned red with embarrassment, and she muttered softly, "Sakura, what are you talking about!?"
"I'm talking about Hinata." she said.
"Huh?" Ino's expression visibly dropped, and jealousy was written all over her face.
Seeing this, a playful smile crept across Sakura's lips, 'Just mentioning Naruto always elicited a strong reaction from Ino. No matter how much she tried to deny it, it was useless.'
"It's just a guess. You don't have to take it seriously." Sakura said casually, as if she didn't mean it, "Ino."
"What?"
"Nothing. Hurry up, or we'll lose sight of them." Sakura pointed toward the disappearing figures ahead.
The brightly lit streets of Konoha.
"I have another mission in a few days." Naruto put his hands in his pockets and said lazily, "I also wanted to participate in the Chunin Exams, but I don't know if I'll make it in time."
Hearing this, Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "Who's going to face you in a match? Obviously, missions are more important, right?"
"The share of the reward for doing missions as Genin is too low. Isn't this just working for nothing?" Naruto said matter-of-factly, "It's feels like a rip-off. How can a Shinobi continue to work like this?"
"Are you short of money? I' could lend you some." Choji offered.
"Damn it! You bunch of rich dogs!" Naruto complained, feeling defeated. Shikamaru and Choji seemed to have never ran out of money, while he could only 'humbly' rely on Gato's inheritance.
'Gato-sama is such a kind-hearted man. I cried so hard. I wonder if there are any flowers blooming in front of Gato-sama's grave now.'
The three of them walked arm in arm into a yakitori restaurant. Before even stepping inside, the smell of grilled meat filled the air. The summer night's breeze was still hot, and the boys laughed and joked as they entered, with a grumpy Neji following behind them.
Tenten, walking alongside Hinata, spread out her hands with a helpless look on her face, "Those boys sure are full of energy."
Hinata smiled softly. As Sakura and Ino caught up with them, the four girls greeted each other and headed inside together. Teenage worries came and went quickly, and once gathered together, the group's mood became cheerful again.
Around the long table, laughter never ceased. At some point, Kurenai also joined them, with Anko following behind.
"It's so lively in here!" Anko stood at the edge of the long table. Her gaze met Naruto's, and her brows immediately furrowed, "Uzumaki Naruto!"
Naruto's reaction was more direct. He immediately spat towards a trash can, "Ptui!"
"Damn it! You little brat!"
"You old hag." Naruto shot back.
"You deserve to die! Uzumaki Naruto!" Anko pounced over two seats, and grabbed Naruto, causing chaos to erupt at the table.
Ino turned to look in their direction, while Hinata let out a soft 'eh'. Sakura looked back and forth between Ino and Hinata's faces, and smiled calmly the moment she lowered her head.
Anko ended up sitting right next to Naruto, stubbornly squeezing herself between him and Shikamaru, taking up half of both their seats.
"Kurenai-sensei, please sit here." Hinata offered, standing up to give up her seat.
"Kurenai-sensei, why didn't Asuma come?" Shikamaru suddenly turned around and asked Kurenai.
"Well…" Kurenai was momentarily caught off guard, but fortunately, Ino quickly came to her rescue.
"Come on, Shikamaru, Asuma-sensei must have something important to take care of," Ino said, pausing before adding, "Otherwise, if Kurenai-sensei were here, Asuma-sensei would definitely come too."
"Hey, you Team 10, don't bully Kurenai-sensei." Kiba chimed in, defending her. After all, Kurenai was the Jonin Instructor of Team 8.
Kurenai's face turned slightly red as she endured their teasing. Anko, meanwhile, glanced up and, seemingly realizing something for the first time, asked, "What about Asuma?"
Just then, with a sudden noise, the door to the private room slid open, and Asuma entered with a cheerful smile.
"Sorry, I had something to take care of, so I'm late."
The room fell silent for a brief moment, then erupted with excited cheers. Shikamaru and Choji, in particular, were causing a scene, clapping and shouting as if enjoying the spectacle.
"Not too late! There's a seat next to Kurenai-sensei!" Shikamaru was the most excited. Despite claiming earlier that he wasn't interested in women, he was clearly invested in Asuma's love life.
Asuma, not one to get flustered easily, confidently took a seat next to Kurenai. Shikamaru stood up to order drinks, since Asuma, Kurenai, and Anko certainly wouldn't be drinking juice like the rest of them.
"Hinata, don't they look so sweet together?" Tenten rested her elbows on the table, propping her face up with her hands as she sighed.
"Ah, I guess so. Honestly, I don't really understand these things either." Hinata murmured softly.
"Huh? Isn't that simple? It's love. Who would've thought that a beautiful girl like Kurenai-sensei would actually like someone like Asuma-sensei?" Tenten mumbled like an old man.
"But it really is hard to understand. Love makes people blind. Well, I don't like Asuma-sensei's type anyway. Though, it's not like I have a specific type."
"Hey? Hinata, are you even listening?"
"Oh, yes." Hinata suddenly replied, "Go on, Tenten."
"Ah! I'm still so envious!" Tenten pouted, sipping her juice and pretending to cry in envy.
Hinata seemed a little distracted, her gaze wandering toward the corner where Naruto was sitting, which is a bit farther away. Shikamaru and Anko had left their seats to join in on the teasing around Asuma and Kurenai, adding to the lively atmosphere.
The table was full of laughter, and Naruto, holding a glass of juice, watched the scene from the sidelines with a smile on his face. Though he seemed happy, he didn't join in the fun. Hinata wasn't used to such a boisterous environment too, however, being part of the group, she couldn't avoid the attention entirely.
"They really are a perfect match. How did I not notice before?"
After causing ruckus for a while, Anko shook her head and muttered to herself. She then sat back in her original seat. After grabbing a skewer of meat, and then turned to Naruto.
"Why don't you go say something?"
"Say what?" Naruto narrowed his eyes and huddled his arms and legs together. He always felt extremely uncomfortable sitting cross-legged like everyone else.
"I'm not one for joining the crowd, unlike you, a fake Jonin."
"You're a strange one. Everyone's having fun, and yet you're sitting here chatting with me." Anko remarked, "Are you always like this?"
"Pretty much. I usually just sleep at home."
"You don't train?" Anko asked in surprise, as if she had just heard a top student say they slept through class and spent their free time playing games.
"What's training?" Naruto smirked and returned to his usual cocky expression, "No one still bothers with training, right? Training hard is for second-rate Jonin."
"Don't mock my hard work! Damn you!" Anko pinched him, then let out a small burp and muttered, "Ordinary people like us have to work very hard. Damn you geniuses!"
"Ture." He agreed with a nod.
"You don't get to say that!" Anko, a little tipsy, gave Naruto a playful shove, "By the way, have you figured out anything about what we saw in the Land of Whirlpools?"
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