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Chapter 56: Plans
The steam from the ramen shop had yet to dissipate when Satsuki hurriedly set down her chopsticks. Her pale cheeks still bore a rosy flush, even her ears tinged with delicate pink.
After experiencing that heart-racing accident moments before, she simply couldn't continue facing Naruto naturally.
"I, I'm leaving first..." Satsuki mumbled with her head down, pressing several bills under her bowl before hastily standing. The curtain fluttered as she pushed through in her flustered state, leaving only a gentle breeze across the empty seat.
Teuchi came over to clear the dishes, shaking his head with a sigh at the extra money on the table. "Really... I already said today was my treat..."
"This child is just too thin-skinned."
Naruto leisurely finished his second bowl of ramen. This time he didn't pay, instead offering sincere thanks to Teuchi. "Thanks for the meal! Your celebratory ramen was the best, dattebayo!"
Leaving the ramen shop, dusk had already enveloped Konoha. Rather than heading straight home, Naruto turned toward the Hokage building. His steps were unhurried, but his thoughts grew focused.
Skiing? He naturally knew that was just a clumsy excuse. He wasn't so dense as to miss the girl's feelings.
Honestly, Naruto didn't reject Satsuki's innocent affection. In fact, when he'd seen those little boys fawning over Satsuki today, an inexplicable irritation had risen in his chest—though he was one hundred percent certain Satsuki would reject them all.
So why pretend to believe that obviously flawed explanation?
The answer was simple: now wasn't the time.
Naruto looked up at the gradually brightening street lamps. Though children in the shinobi world generally matured early, with many discussing marriage at tender ages, he still felt that before truly growing up, some feelings should develop slowly.
Passing through the streets, Naruto soon reached the Hokage building. Pushing open the office door, he found the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen still working as expected.
So what had brought Naruto to seek out the Third? The answer was simple—he'd come to "request a gift."
That's right! Today was the important day of school enrollment. In terms of lineage, the Third was his father's teacher Jiraiya's master, making him technically a "grand-teacher."
Since he was already someone's grand-disciple, shouldn't his grand-teacher show some consideration for such an important milestone as starting school?
Through years of interaction, Naruto had long been convinced that conspiracy theories about the Third were pure over-interpretation. Throughout these years, he'd never suffered the slightest hardship in terms of food, clothing, or shelter.
Mornings with Might Guy unleashing youth, afternoons training with Satsuki—the loneliness from the original story had vanished with these two companions.
Worth noting was that according to regulations, everyone the Jinchuuriki contacted required strict screening. But when ANBU reported Might guy's frequent contact with Naruto, the Third's first reaction wasn't suspicion of this "rare beast's" identity, but worry that Naruto might be led astray—what if someday Naruto also wore green spandex and constantly talked about "youth"...
Perhaps because Guy-sensei was too unique, even Danzo hadn't made an issue of this matter.
In any case, Naruto had resolved that if Orochimaru still planned his "Konoha Crush Plan" in the future, he would definitely find a way to save the Third.
After a while, once the ninja delivering jutsu scrolls had left, the Third's celebratory gift was unexpectedly generous. High-level jutsu scrolls that ordinary ninja needed to complete numerous missions to obtain now lay neatly arranged in Naruto's bundle.
Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Doton: Doryuu Heki, Katon: Goryuu no Jutsu, Raiton: Gou Rai, Doton: Doryuu Dan, Suiton: Suiryuu Dan... absurdly luxurious.
It made sense—after witnessing Naruto and Satsuki's battle that far exceeded their age level today, the Third must have felt it would be a waste not to teach such talent more powerful techniques.
Night wind stirred as Naruto looked up at the starry sky, his thoughts gradually clarifying. Now that various story characters had begun appearing, his plans were clear.
First, establish good relationships with the currently accessible "Konoha 12" and Iruka to earn more system points, while intensively training these newly acquired powerful jutsu to increase his strength... because he clearly knew that in several years, there was one major event that absolutely had to be changed.
The Uchiha Massacre.
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