The temptation to return to the village was strong.
Even though he'd only been gone for two days, it felt as long as half a month. The thought of going home brought a flurry of thoughts to mind.
How is Sasuke doing with his Mangekyō Sharingan?
And Sakura? Has her "brand new" romance strategy made any breakthroughs with Sasuke?
What about Kakashi-sensei and Hana-nee-san? How's the progress of their long-running adult romance?
Then, thinking of Hinata's fair face that would turn red and her shy, darting eyes whenever he got close, a mischievous smile unconsciously curled on Naruto's lips.
Yeah, I feel like teasing her a bit.
Time to go home!
Once the thought was set, his heart yearned for home!
Whoosh—!
Naruto's teleportation speed on his way home was a full 0.02 milliseconds faster than usual. The gusts of wind from his consecutive high-speed dashes almost kicked up a cloud of dust!
However, this time, he didn't enter the village like he normally would. Instead, he appeared on the road outside the Hidden Leaf Village. This time, he was going to walk in proudly through the main gate! He wanted the old man in the Hokage's office to see clearly that he, Naruto Uzumaki, was back!
Walking down the main road back to the village, Naruto keenly sensed that something was off. The Hidden Leaf Village was unusually busy today. The number of shinobi entering and leaving the village far exceeded the usual, and most of them were rushing, clearly heading out on various urgent missions!
He suppressed his questions and strode toward the village gate. At the gate, a familiar group came into view. It was Team 10!
"Wow! Naruto-kun!"
Just as Naruto raised a cheerful smile, ready to wave at Shikamaru and Choji, he heard Ino's surprised shout!
The next second, to Naruto's astonishment, Shikamaru's resigned sigh of "I knew it," and Choji's wide-eyed gaze, Ino, like a pink cannonball, shot toward Naruto with her arms outstretched, aiming for a hug!
Then... thwack!
Naruto's right hand shot out like lightning, planting itself precisely on Ino's forehead.
We're not that close!
Ino's enthusiastic expression froze. She was suspended mid-lunge, her body leaning forward, her arms still in a hugging pose, held firmly in place by Naruto's single hand. Ino's cheeks instantly flushed a deep red, from both embarrassment and frustration!
"You idiot, Naruto! Let go!" She thrashed her arms angrily, like a flipped-over crab. "Let me hug you! Just once!"
Unfortunately, no matter how much she struggled, that short distance was an insurmountable chasm. Naruto's arm didn't budge.
Faced with this sudden, overly enthusiastic Ino, Naruto was genuinely bewildered. He leaned his head to the side, looking past Ino, his eyes searching for an answer from Shikamaru and Choji behind her.
But their expressions showed no surprise at all by Ino's behavior.
"She actually went through with it," Shikamaru said, rubbing his forehead with one hand.
He remembered that after the teams were formed, once Ino learned that the two of them were Naruto's friends, she started asking about him. After the Forest of Death, Shikamaru often heard her mumble about being torn between Naruto and Sasuke. After the Chunin Exams, she was mumbling about something else: Sakura can have Sasuke; I'll choose Naruto! And now, here they were.
Shikamaru draped his arm over Choji's shoulder, looking completely entertained.
"Naruto seems to be really popular with girls, huh?" Choji commented. He had been hearing girls in the village talk about Naruto a lot lately. Sigh! When would a man of his fuller build get his chance?
"Popular with girls?" The thought alone gave Shikamaru a headache. He shivered just imagining it. "Women... are such a drag!"
Choji didn't reply, instead pulling out a bag of chips and digging in. "Want some?" he offered one to Shikamaru.
Shikamaru lazily took a chip. And just like that, the two of them stood side-by-side, eating chips and watching the drama unfold!
This scene made a vein throb on Naruto's forehead. Seriously, guys? You're just going to stand there and talk? And eat snacks?
Help me out here! Aren't we supposed to be good friends? Is our friendship really that fragile?
Seeing that he couldn't rely on his "allies," Naruto averted his gaze and focused on Ino.
Seeing that she was making no progress, Ino decisively changed tactics. Instead of trying to hug him, she wrapped her arms around his.
"Hehe!" She flashed what she thought was her sweetest, most charming smile, complete with a powerful wink! "Naruto-kun~ Do you prefer girls who are a little chubby or a little skinny?"
Unfortunately, her charms didn't work on Naruto. Just yesterday, he had been up close and personal with the most beautiful "female man" in the world. Ino couldn't even cause a ripple in his mind.
Wait a minute, did the Hidden Mist Village go after the Yuki clan because of this?
Naruto suppressed the urge to retort, simply raising an eyebrow and giving Ino a perfunctory look.
Catching his gaze, Ino struck a graceful pose, showing off her beauty.
This whole performance made Naruto speechless. What's there to show off, you little bean sprout?
However, in order to get away quickly, Naruto decided to offer some "constructive" advice. He mulled over his words. "Well, I guess a fuller figure is better."
"Really?" Ino's eyes lit up. The recent dieting had been so tough.
"Of course," Naruto said with an incredibly serious expression. "I just feel like if you stay this skinny, I could... punch right through you."
"...?" Ino's smile instantly froze! Is... is that how it works?
While she was still reeling from this "fatal concern," frozen in shock, Naruto swiftly pulled his arms away. He darted forward, positioning himself in front of the "chip-eating duo."
"Hey! You two, that was so uncool! You just watched the whole thing?" Naruto said, pointing at the unfinished bag of chips in their hands, his eye twitching.
"Shouldn't you be blissfully tormented by a girl chasing you?" Shikamaru replied.
"Blissful, my foot!" Naruto's forehead was covered in black lines. He quickly snatched the last chip from Choji's hand and chewed it loudly, as if releasing his frustration!
After finishing the chip, his anger subsided a little. Naruto looked around and asked, "By the way, why are you two out here alone? Where's Asuma-sensei?"
A look of surprise crossed Shikamaru's face. "He's on a solo mission. This mission is just for the three of us."
Shikamaru thought Naruto's question was strange. Didn't he know there was a massive backlog of missions in the village because of Orochimaru's "Konoha Crush" plan? Everyone was busy with missions.
He took another good look at Naruto. He didn't look tired or dusty, not like he had been gone for two days. Wait, Naruto could use the Flying Raijin Jutsu. So why would he show up outside the village? Why not just return directly to the village?
Shikamaru came to a simple conclusion: Naruto hadn't been in the village for the past two days!
Why?
Forget it, too much trouble!
"I see," Naruto sighed with a nod, just about to say something.
"Naruuutoo!" Ino's resentful voice came from behind him.
Naruto's skin immediately crawled. "Ahem, I've got things to do... See ya!" His words came out in a rush, and before he was even finished, he was gone.
Ino, who had just caught up, didn't even get a strand of hair.
"Hmph! Why did Naruto run away? Am I really that scary?" Ino stomped her foot in frustration. She glared at the chip-eating duo, her eyes not so much asking a question as demanding an explanation.
The two of them were speechless. They were just spectators!
"Women are such a drag!"
On the other side, Naruto strolled through the village gate. The village seemed no different than before, but in his chakra senses, he could already feel several Anbu who had detected his presence rushing to the Hokage building.
He meandered aimlessly, his gaze scanning the familiar streets.
Suddenly!
A white-haired man with his head so buried in his Make-Out Paradise book that his face was almost hidden came into his sight!
"Yo, isn't that Kakashi-sensei? You're just as handsomely lazy as ever!" Naruto walked over, a mischievous grin on his face.
Kakashi put down his book, revealing his signature dead-fish eye. When he saw Naruto, a glimmer of light flashed in his unchanging eye. He's back? It seemed things hadn't gotten to an irreversible state yet.
"Oh yeah! Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, as if suddenly remembering something. He reached behind his back and pulled out a box. "A specialty from the Land of Hot Water! Top-grade scented bath salts! They smell great. A gift for you and Hana-nee-san."
Kakashi took the box, looking a bit bewildered. Before he could say anything, a female Anbu with purple hair appeared beside them. Naruto recognized her at a glance as the same one who had appeared after the Forest of Death. She gave a slight nod to Kakashi, then her gaze became sharp, locking onto Naruto. Her voice was cold and left no room for doubt.
"Naruto Uzumaki, Lord Hokage has summoned you! Proceed immediately!"
"Summoned?" Naruto exaggeratedly picked at his ear and pouted. "No thanks. Tell the Hokage to come see me himself!"
The two of them were stunned for a moment.
"Naruto," Kakashi said, his voice calm, without a hint of a warning, but it was like an invisible thread gently pulling on him.
"Hehe, I'm just kidding! Lightening the mood!" Naruto gave him a look, conceding to his request. "Kakashi-sensei, see you tonight!"
After saying goodbye, Naruto, with the speed of lightning, placed a hand on the purple-haired Anbu.
The Flying Raijin Jutsu instantly activated!
In front of the Hokage building, the air shimmered, and Naruto and Yūgao Uzuki's figures suddenly appeared!
Yūgao Uzuki, who had been brought along, was still a bit dazed. Naruto's movements were so fast she hadn't had time to react. She had felt a tap on her arm, and the next moment, an uncontrollable, warping sensation. In the blink of an eye, she was here.
Is this... the Flying Raijin Jutsu? Yūgao was stunned, her black eyes filled with unbelievable shock!
"Big sister, lead the way." Naruto's face held a harmless smile. That move earlier was just to make a point; there was no need to trouble an ordinary Anbu messenger.
"Oh... oh, yes!" Yūgao snapped back to reality, suppressing the tidal wave of shock in her heart. She quickly regained her professional Anbu composure. "Please follow me!"
Naruto was led forward. This time, the meeting with the Third Hokage wasn't in the Hokage's office, but in a room next to it in the Hokage building. The room was small, with two rows of light green sofas facing each other and a small table in the middle.
Knock, knock~
"Come in!" The familiar, slightly weary voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, came from behind the heavy wooden door.
Creak~
As the door opened, Naruto looked inside. The room was small, but the atmosphere was incredibly heavy. Besides the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was sitting on the main sofa, having taken off his Hokage hat to reveal his signature white hair, two figures who gave off a strong "old-timer" vibe were seated on the sofas to his left and right. One was an old man with glasses and a beard. The other was a hunched-over old woman whose eyes were almost invisible.
Naruto had never seen these two before. He guessed they were probably the village elders.
"Naruto, you're back from your vacation?" Hiruzen Sarutobi put on a benevolent smile. "Did you have fun?"
"Mm." In the face of the Hokage's enthusiasm, Naruto was expressionless, letting out a single grunt from his nose in a greeting. He exuded an almost tangible coldness.
He walked past the purple-haired Anbu who had led him there and sat comfortably on the sofa facing the three of them.
Yūgao Uzuki was bewildered. Is that how Naruto replies to the Hokage's greeting? Is that appropriate?
Homura Mitokado's brow instantly furrowed, and Koharu Utatane's cloudy old eyes, which had almost opened, also flashed with a sharp look. Is this the attitude of a Hidden Leaf shinobi toward the Hokage?
How arrogant! How utterly audacious! How could Minato Namikaze have a son this rude?
The two of them were old foxes, and remembering Naruto's identity and power, they managed to swallow their words.
"Ahem!" Hiruzen Sarutobi lightly coughed to ease the tension. "Yūgao, you may leave."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" Yūgao felt a wave of relief and bowed before quickly exiting, gently closing the door behind her.
Only the four of them remained in the room. The air felt as if it had been sucked out, leaving behind a suffocating silence.
Naruto maintained his lazy posture, his clear blue eyes calm, like a bottomless cold pool, quietly observing the three people across from him. In his chakra sense, the three of them held no pure malice toward him. The two elders were probably trying to use him as a tool. But the old Hokage seemed to be genuine.
But public matters were public, and private matters were private. He couldn't mix them up. His negotiating partner right now was the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi, not the person Hiruzen Sarutobi!
"Naruto, I remember when you were a child..." Hiruzen Sarutobi finally broke the silence, starting with stories from Naruto's childhood and playing the emotional card.
Naruto remained completely unmoved, just watching quietly. Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke until his throat was dry, going from Naruto's childhood misadventures to his parents, from Minato Namikaze to the Will of Fire. His words were sincere and full of emotion, attempting to use past warmth and heavy responsibility to stir a soft spot in Naruto's heart.
However...
"Old man Hokage, are you done talking?" Naruto finally spoke, getting straight to the point. "Since you're done, can you please get to the point?"
The smile on Hiruzen's face froze. His wrinkled hands trembled slightly. This...
The three of them exchanged glances, feeling this was quite a tricky situation. Finally, Homura Mitokado took a deep breath and slowly pulled out a prepared scroll from his robes!
Naruto took the scroll without expression and looked at it carefully. There were many conditions, but Naruto summarized the main ones as follows:
Promise of the Sixth Hokage seat.Compensation: A staggering 1.5 billion ryō.Village land: He could choose any empty plot, and the Hidden Leaf Village would pay to build a residence to his specifications!
The other two conditions were fine, but the second one... 1.5 billion ryō? They were treating him like a beggar! They clearly weren't being sincere at all!
Tsk, tsk, tsk...
Naruto gently put down the scroll, his gaze sweeping over the three expectant faces and finally settling on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hiruzen, this amount of money makes it very difficult for me to work with you!" Naruto's voice was so calm it was impossible to tell if he was happy or angry.
"How dare you!"
"Insolent!"
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane slammed their hands on the table almost at the same time! Their old faces were red with extreme anger and humiliation.
Hiruzen?!
A twelve-year-old kid daring to call the Hokage by his name?! Their withered fingers trembled as they pointed at Naruto, about to scold him harshly.
"Enough!" Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly yelled! The two of them turned, startled, and saw Hiruzen shaking his head, signaling them not to speak.
Naruto took all of this in, his heart completely still. For this little amount of money, I'm already being nice by not calling you three old geezers by name!
His principle remained the same: never make the first offer himself; let them. And he would reject it until he was satisfied!
With that in mind, to apply more pressure, Naruto threw out another bombshell.
"When I went out to clear my head, I also went to the Land of Lightning and saw they were in big trouble! Man, it was a mess!" He changed his tone. "And their elders were weeping and wailing, grabbing my legs and begging me to stay! They kept saying: 'Lord Naruto! Please, stay and become our Raikage!' 'Only you can save the Hidden Cloud Village!'"
As he said this, Naruto's eyes rested on the three skeptical faces. "I told them no. How can I, a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, become the Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village?"
"But they offered so much money!"
Hiruzen, who had only believed a third of Naruto's story, was instantly shaken. "You accepted?" he asked, surprised.
"Ahem, not yet. I just told them I'd think about it!"
The three of them all breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Naruto," Hiruzen pleaded earnestly, "there's something you might not know. When your mother was a child, she was actually kidnapped by the Hidden Cloud Village. If your father hadn't found her in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable!!!" As he said this, Hiruzen's cloudy old eyes stared intensely at Naruto's expression. He believed that this blood feud involving his mother would be enough to awaken any hot-blooded young man.
However, Naruto looked completely unconcerned. He even had a slight, playful smirk on his face, as if he had just heard something interesting.
"Oh? That? I know about that!" he said slowly, as the three across from him looked on, their expressions frozen. "But I've already forgiven them!"