Chapter 146 - 12

Chapter 12: I'm a Host? You Can't Afford Me in This Lifetime!Tazuna squinted his drunken eyes, his gaze sweeping over Team 7.Finally, his gaze stopped on Naruto."Just these brats?"Tazuna tilted his head back to gulp down some liquor, pointing at Naruto with a mocking smile on his face."That blondie looks quite flashy. It's a pity he's not a host. Can a pretty boy with such fair skin really protect me? I bet he'll pee his pants the moment he sees a bandit."The air instantly froze.Sasuke's face darkened, and his hand reached for his Ninja tool pouch.Although he disliked Naruto, he hated being looked down upon even more.Sakura, on the other hand, looked at Naruto with some concern.Being called a host... Naruto would definitely be angry, right?However.Naruto wasn't angry.He even smiled.That smile was so bright it was somewhat unsettling.Swoosh.No one saw how he moved.Tazuna only felt a blur before his eyes, and a sudden sharp pain shot through his wrist.Crack.It was the sound of glass shattering.Naruto crushed the wine bottle in Tazuna's hand with one hand.Glass shards mixed with wine splashed everywhere, but they seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, with not a single drop touching Naruto's clothes."Old man."Naruto released his grip.Glass powder trickled down.He brought his face close to Tazuna's, so close he could count the blackheads on the man's nose."Keep your mouth clean."Naruto patted Tazuna's pale, terrified face; the gesture was frivolous, yet it carried a suffocating killing intent."I'm a host?""Then you won't be able to afford a bodyguard of my caliber in your entire lifetime.""Consider yourself lucky this time; I just happen to want to go out for a change of pace. We'll take this job."Tazuna's whole body trembled, and he instantly sobered up halfway.That kind of gaze...It was like being stared down by a bloodthirsty beast; if he moved even slightly, his throat would be torn open."Okay... okay..."Tazuna stammered, his previous arrogance completely gone.Hiruzen Sarutobi watched this scene and sighed helplessly."In that case, it will be designated as a C-rank escort mission. Kakashi, I'm leaving it to you.""Yes."Kakashi responded listlessly.He had a premonition.This mission would definitely not be peaceful....Half an hour later.At the Konoha main gate.Sasuke and Sakura carried their packs, their expressions both nervous and excited.This was their first time leaving the Village.For Genin who had never traveled far, the outside world was full of fatal attraction."We're finally going out..."Sakura tightened her backpack straps, looking around somewhat uneasily."I heard there are many rogue Ninjas outside; will it be dangerous?""Hmph, they'll be perfect for testing my blade,"Sasuke said coldly, but his fingers gripping the backpack straps were slightly white.Just then.A figure walked over leisurely.Naruto wasn't carrying one of those heavy marching packs.He only wore a light satchel, carried a large bag of snacks in his hand, and had a lollipop in his mouth.Most absurdly, he had several colorful magazines tucked under his arm.The covers were all of older girls in skimpy swimsuits."Yo, is everyone here?"Naruto walked to the gate and casually stuffed the copy of 'Seasonal Swimsuit Special' into the hands of Izumo and Kotetsu, who were in charge of registration."Gifts for you, big brothers. Guarding is hard work; consider this mental food."Izumo and Kotetsu's eyes lit up, and they quickly hid the magazine in their clothes, giving Naruto a look that said he was'sensible'."Pass!"The gate slowly opened.A main road leading to the outside world extended deep into the forest.Naruto stepped out of the gate.He took a deep breath of the outside air and spread his arms wide, as if to embrace the whole world."Ah... the scent of freedom."Naruto looked back at the giant Konoha symbol behind him, his lips curling into a playful arc."Finally left this Village full of flat chests and old men."...The dirt road leaving the Konoha gate wound forward, the trees on both sides gradually thinning. The afternoon sun poured down without obstruction, baking the ground until it was somewhat hot. The air was filled with the scent of dust and dry grass.Team 7 maintained a steady formation.Kakashi walked at the front, the pages of his 'icha icha paradise' rustling as he flipped through them, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him. Tazuna held that bottle of unfinished, low-quality shochu, occasionally looking back at the three teenagers behind him with a face full of distrust.At the rear of the team.Naruto had his hands behind his head, the stick of the finished lollipop dangling from his mouth, his pace as light as if he were on a picnic."I say, Er Zhu Zi."Naruto spat out the plastic stick, which traced an arc in the air and accurately hit a wild flower by the roadside."Your face is too tense. Anyone who didn't know better would think you're going to a funeral rather than a trip."Sasuke walked to Naruto's left, carrying a giant pack that didn't match his frame. Hearing this, a vein in his temple throbbed; he didn't look back, only coldly spitting out a single sound."Hmph.""Don't be so cold." Naruto took two quick steps and naturally draped his arm over Sasuke's shoulder, causing the other's body to sway. "As someone who's been through it, I have to teach you a lesson. The essence of a Ninja lies not in killing, but in wellness."Sasuke jerked his shoulder, trying to shake off the heavy arm, only to find that the hand remained as immovable as an iron clamp."Wellness?" Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Revenge doesn't need wellness. It only needs power.""Shallow."Naruto shook his index finger with an air of profound mystery."Too much killing intent leads to hair loss. Look at the old man; he worried too much, and now his hairline has receded to the back of his head. And look at Kakashi-sensei..."The back of Kakashi, who was reading up ahead, stiffened for a moment."Reading those indecent books all day has led to a deficiency in his kidney qi, making his Chakrareserves pitifully small. He's a prime example of what not to do."Naruto patted Sasuke's chest, which made a muffled thumping sound."If you want to get strong, you first have to learn to cultivate your character. Only with a peaceful mind can you live long. By living long, you can outlast all your enemies. This is the highest realm of the art of war—subduing the enemy without fighting."Sasuke stopped in his tracks.He turned his head, his black pupils burning with anger."Are you playing with me?""How could I?" Naruto spread his hands with an innocent look. "I'm imparting the true essence of the will of fire to you. After all, I'm the future Hokage, and you're the future Uchiha Clan Head; we have to focus on sustainable development."Beside them, Sakura rolled her eyes so hard they almost stayed that way."Naruto! Just shut up!" Sakura wiped the sweat from her forehead, panting. "Everyone is exhausted, yet you're the only one with the energy to talk nonsense. And..."She pointed at the light satchel on Naruto's body and then looked at the heavy supplies on her and Sasuke's backs."Why are you the only one not carrying luggage?!""Because I'm the Main DPS," Naruto said righteously. "The DPS needs to maintain peak physical condition to be ready for any sudden situation. Grunt work like logistics should naturally be left to the Supports and Tanks."Sakura almost choked on her breath.She was a Support? Sasuke was a Tank?This was clearly just bullying!Tazuna took a gulp of wine up ahead and let out a loud alcoholic burp."Tch, a bunch of kids playing house. Chattering away like that—if you really run into an enemy, I bet you'll pee yourselves in fear."Naruto raised an eyebrow at those words.He didn't argue; instead, his gaze moved past Tazuna and landed on the road ahead.There was a puddle of water there.