章節 296: Chapter 296 Pretty Smooth Talk
Roadside stall.
This place was always bustling with people, especially after nightfall when it became even more crowded.
Ino nervously touched her lips, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the crowd. As she was lost in thought, she spotted Naruto across the street under a streetlamp, weaving through the throng of people.
He was dressed in black, a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, which is a typical summer outfit. Ino watched as he pushed his way through the crowd, walking toward her.
He was tall, with broad shoulders and a casual, messy mop of blonde hair that gave off a lazy vibe. Yet his tall and sturdy frame exuded a certain masculine hormone.
As they both grew older, Ino's thoughts about men and women became more nuanced and sensitive. She also noticed that as Naruto walked through the crowd, people would turn their heads to glance at him.
Before she knew it, Naruto was already standing right in front of her.
"Have you grown taller again?" Ino stretched out her hand to measure his height. "You've definitely gotten a little taller, right?"
"Have I? " Naruto glanced at her, "It hasn't been that long since we last saw each other. How could I have grown that fast? Am I a bamboo shoot?"
"It was a month ago." Ino rolled her eyes at him. She remembered.
"That long, huh?" Naruto scratched his face and said awkwardly.
"It's no big deal. Everyone's been busy with missions lately." Ino said as she walked ahead of him, then she turned around and said with a smile, "I'm a Chunin now, you know."
…
The barbecue restaurant they went to was still the one near the Akimichi Clan's compound. The food there was very tasty and the portions were generous, so it was usually packed with people.
However, at this time, and in such a remote place, there weren't many people when Naruto and Ino arrived. However, they still couldn't get a seat inside and had to settle for a spot under a large, open-air tent.
Shikamaru and Choji didn't bother to stand up when Naruto and Ino arrived, simply waving in greeting.
There was a dim light above their heads, barely illuminating the people at the table. The owner bowed several times, apologizing for the simple setup.
Team 10 were regulars here, and they would occasionally reserve the place for gatherings, even with Asuma. After comforting the embarrassed owner, they were rewarded with several complimentary plates of meat.
These second generation of Konoha's Shinobi weren't short on money, so they accepted the freebies without hesitation. After taking the food, they even ordered some more food, confident that Shikamaru could eat it all.
Naruto sat lazily beside Ino, not bothering to avoid any awkwardness. Ino thought about moving to another seat, but Naruto pulled her back as if nothing had happened.
"What? Are you planning to isolate me as soon as we meet?" Naruto said with a grin on his face.
Choji smiled so much that his eyes almost disappeared. He slurped a plate of barbecue and said to Naruto, "Then you can sit with me."
"No way. I can't keep up with your eating." Naruto said, draping one leg over the bench and said slowly, "Besides, I'm one of the Konoha's higher-ups now."
"Look at you, showing off." Shikamaru, unable to bear it, chimed in, "What's so great about hanging around with those old geezers? It must be a drag."
"What do you know?" Naruto said, still exuding youthful arrogance.
Ino was a little speechless and gave him a light smack on the leg. Naruto quietly withdrew his leg, sitting properly but still keeping up the banter.
"Hey, did you guys know? The Land of Snow has personal communicators now. Why is Konoha still so outdated?" Naruto said, suddenly steering the conversation toward technology.
"What communicators?" Shikamaru glanced at him, "Doesn't the village have some?"
"That's not what I mean. Those bulky things don't count as real communicators. They're like iron dumbbells." Naruto said, clearly passionate when it came to technology.
But when he saw Shikamaru shot him a warning look, Naruto suddenly realized he'd said something wrong.
"Ino's father is in charge of the village's communications system." Choji helpfully pointed out, and Naruto immediately felt a wave of dread, 'Did I just accidentally insult my future father-in-law?'
"I think they're bulky too." Fortunately, Ino didn't get angry, but rather frowned, "But it seems like the village isn't interested in upgrading them."
"There are small, palm-sized communicators out there, for personal use." Naruto explained, gesturing with his hands under the table as he stealthily squeezed Ino's palm.
Shikamaru, being the sharp thinker he was, immediately caught onto what Naruto was hinting at. His brow furrowed as he rubbed his chin in thought.
"I heard from my dad that the situation in all countries is very tense right now. Konoha likely won't invest much resources into technology. After all, there's a chance another Shinobi World War on the horizon."
Choji, ever carefree, munched on a skewer of grilled meat and spoke with little concern, "Anyway, as long as Tsunade-sama is around, nothing bad's gonna happen."
Naruto smiled, realizing now wasn't the right time to discuss this, so he smoothly shifted the conversation to another topic.
The atmosphere at the table remained lively, with the group's close bond evident in their light-hearted chatter. And before they knew it, it was already late at night.
Shikamaru commented, "I have a feeling that guy has something in mind, but things outside are indeed way ahead of us. This village is still as conservative as ever."
Choji chimed in, "Well, it's a Shinobi Village after all. Shinobi pride themselves on controlling desires. Getting too luxurious wouldn't be good for training, would it?"
Ino added, "It's just a communicator. Generally speaking, it makes life more convenient, doesn't it? But speaking of which, Konoha did try equipping Genin teams with chakra ear-communicators, but they were only for short-distance and small-scale communication."
Shikamaru shrugged, "Those things malfunction half the time, so they're not that useful."
Naruto returned after settling the bill and glanced at the table piled with plates. He didn't sit down, but just stood beside Ino, with the dim ceiling light above his head.
"Eventually, we'll have to develop technology. Peace in the Shinobi World is the main theme."
"Oh?" Shikamaru shot Naruto a sideways glance and teased, "You're already starting to show your higher-up style, huh? Pretty smooth talk."
"That's right." Naruto chuckled, "Next time we meet, you have to call me 'sir'."
"Yeah, right."
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