The following day, brimming with vitality, Naruto awoke.
After a brief examination, he discovered that Yūhi Kurenai, his neighbor, had already left.
Considering this, he had slept in naturally.
It was already past nine o'clock in the morning, an hour at which no other ninja was still asleep.
Yet it didn't matter; there would be no missions in the immediate future, allowing him to enjoy some leisure time.
Before venturing out, Naruto meticulously groomed himself.
While still bearing the appearance of a 13-year-old, his original attire was too out of date.
Naruto, a self-proclaimed fashion aficionado, reorganized his ensemble and trimmed his hair for a cleaner, more vibrant look.
"Tsk, he looks handsome both ways, top to bottom, perfect!"
Naruto clicked his fingers and went out to consume some breakfast before heading to Konoha Hospital.
He had planned to visit the hospital the previous day to alter Second Lead's fate.
If he could successfully enrage Mangekyō, the system might grant him unexpected rewards.
However, upon reaching the ward where the second assistant lay, he found that the latter was absent.
The hospital bed was vacant, the adjacent window was wide open, and the curtains fluttered in the breeze.
"How could this be? He was here just moments ago! His wounds haven't even healed!"
The young nurse who had escorted Naruto grew frantic upon witnessing the scene. Despite searching everywhere, she couldn't locate the patient and was left with no choice but to report the matter with a downcast expression.
"Well, I guess it's a case of too little, too late," Naruto said, unable to hide his disappointment.
Though he knew Second Lead might leave and seek Kakashi for training, he hadn't anticipated it happening so swiftly.
There was no alternative; since he hadn't spotted anyone, he decided against pursuing the matter to their training ground.
"But what now? Without missions or training, it's quite a dilemma!"
Naruto contemplated how to approach Sakura.
Her life trajectory had changed, and the system rewards should be substantial.
Moreover, he had promised to teach her medical jutsu at the Chūnin exam venue the previous day.
"Naruto!"
Before he could devise a plan, Sakura's voice reached him from outside the ward.
To his surprise, she arrived alongside Ino, both of them carrying bouquets of flowers and trays of fruit.
"Naruto, you're here, too! Where's Sasuke-kun?"
Sakura placed the flowers and fruit on the now-bare bedside table and searched the area as the nurse had.
"It seems he's escaped," Naruto said with a hint of amusement.
"Escape?!" Both Sakura and Ino were taken aback.
"Well, to him, the hospital is akin to a prison where he's forbidden to practice. He left without a word, so isn't that a prison break?"
"What nonsense," Sakura retorted, rolling her eyes.
Ino, on the other hand, chuckled. "Naruto, you're quite entertaining. You've changed so much!"
"Hehe, Ino, your future self will undergo significant changes as well!"
Naruto winked discreetly, his gaze lingering just a moment too long.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ino didn't catch his meaning and instead asked excitedly, "Has it gotten better or worse?"
"Oh, I was referring to the both of you!" Sakura interjected, visibly anxious. "The main issue is we need to find Sasuke-kun first! I heard from the nurse that his injuries haven't fully healed!"
Though Ino was also infatuated, she wasn't as fixated on Sasuke as Sakura was, allowing her to think more clearly.
"Why the hurry?" Ino sighed. "If you understood what Naruto implied, Sasuke-kun must have gone to train. You won't see him until the Chūnin exam starts, I bet."
"Is that so..." Sakura's expression fell.
Still, she believed in Naruto's words. Since he had said she wouldn't see him until the Chūnin exam began, she certainly wouldn't see Sasuke til next month.
"In that case, I have nothing to do. How about you come shopping with me, Naruto?" Ino rolled her eyes and stepped forward to hug Naruto's arm, as if fearing that he would escape.
"No!"
Before Naruto could speak, Sakura immediately objected: "Naruto promised to go with me."
"I said you have a wide forehead, aren't you supposed to be looking for Sasuke-kun?" Ino displayed her sharp tongue, making the young Sakura fidget as she talked.
"Pig-headed Ino, stop spreading rumors!" Sakura retorted angrily. "I think you're the one who's thinking like that! Otherwise, why would you drag Naruto shopping? Naruto and I are clearly on the same team."
"Absolutely!" Ino made a face but continued to cling to Naruto's arm. "Naruto is the Seventh Hokage. I just want to take this opportunity to befriend him. What's so embarrassing about that?" she said with a smile.
"Hey, your wide forehead is because you've been lagging behind on the team, and you're actually jealous that I'm getting to train with him!" Ino shot back, seemingly surprised but unwilling to back down.
"None of your business!" Sakura felt a twinge of guilt but quickly grew angry. "I'm not like that. Besides, didn't you lose to me yesterday?"
"You obviously lost to me!" Ino immediately countered.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing!" exclaimed Naruto, caught between the two girls.
"It's so noisy here. The main point is that there's no meat in front of me to enjoy," he thought to himself, feeling a bit dizzy from the commotion.
"Don't say anything, just listen to me!" Naruto abruptly took charge. "It's not a big deal anyway. We can all train together. Ino's strength needs to improve, too, right?"
With the mention of the Seventh Hokage's plan, the two girls' protests withered away.
"Then... Could you give me some advice?" Ino asked timidly.
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