Chapter 119 – Treehouse's Body Breaks Out in Red Dots
Naruto sank into the Sealing Space, lost in thought.
Kurama was playing Monopoly with a Shadow Clone.
It ate, slept, ate again, with no sense of day or night.
Naruto used a Riding item card and sprinted up to Kurama.
It shrank its body, letting Naruto easily stroke its fox head.
"What?"
Kurama slapped the hand away.
It wasn't used to anyone touching its head.
Only Naruto could get away with it; anyone else would have their head smashed like a melon.
"Nothing."
Naruto answered casually.
But in his vision Kurama began to change.
Dozens of red dots appeared across its body.
What are those?
Naruto rubbed his chin.
Since he meant no harm, only pure curiosity, Kurama kept playing Monopoly.
Just then Naruto jabbed one spot on its back with force.
Kurama froze, shuddered, and let out a soft fox yelp.
Naruto's eyes widened.
He thought he understood what the dots were.
They must be sensitive spots on Kurama's body.
Every person—or creature—has a weak point somewhere.
Sometimes even they don't know it exists.
The Riding item card reveals a mount's weak points so a rider can control it quickly.
Naruto blinked, stunned.
So this thing is pronounced "riding," but it's actually a weakness exposer.
In future fights against Ninja Beasts or Tailed Beasts…
If people count as mounts, then—cough—I've got a bold idea.
"Na-ru-to!"
Kurama never dreamed it would ever make such a sound.
Though it looked like a fox, it was a mighty Tailed Beast that struck terror into hearts.
Yet that squeak just now had been mortifying.
A mountain-like aura erupted, flooding the entire space.
Naruto and his Shadow Clone were blown against the wall.
The clone popped out of existence.
Naruto coughed blood; before he could speak he was booted out.
Angry and embarrassed, huh?
Naruto rubbed his head.
Still, the fox yelp was kinda cute.
Does that count as a squeaky monster?
But punch it and the one who ends up crying isn't the fox—it's you.
All in all, this Riding card has huge potential.
Used right, it's a god-tier card.
Truly, anything can be ridden.
Satisfied, Naruto drifted off to sleep.
Early next morning he opened the window and saw Hinata under the tree.
"Naruto-kun!"
Hinata gave a sweet smile.
Naruto smiled back and climbed down from the Treehouse.
For some reason he reached out and patted her head.
Hinata lifted her head, pure-white Byakugan eyes meeting his.
She didn't blush at such light contact, only felt something different.
Whatever it was, she was happy, gripping his arm. "Let's find Kurenai-sensei."
Red dots appeared across Hinata's body in Naruto's eyes.
System, you're broken! Something's wrong with you!
He quickly turned the dots off.
Otherwise he feared he wouldn't be able to resist.
He had OCD.
See a dot and he thought of the FPS games of his past life—he'd want to click.
Kurenai Yuhi wasn't hard to find.
Both of them were recon experts.
One with Kagura Minds Eye, one with Byakugan.
Huge range.
In less than a minute they spotted her.
She was walking a forest path.
Destination: the villa on Satomi Hill.
The place where Yakumo Kurama was isolated.
Naruto thought and decided to tell Hinata the truth.
Waiting for her to figure it out would waste too much time.
If she asked how he knew,
The scapegoat Jiraiya could take the blame.
Ever since Naruto learned his name was in Jiraiya's novel, they'd been enemies.
Social death is still death.
And he still worried Hinata might one day read that interspecies reviewers guide.
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
Yakumo Kurama's story began with a magic brush.
Frail since childhood, she gasped for breath like some Lin Daiyu.
She could have become a great painter.
But her clan believed art couldn't save the Kuramafamily.
They wanted her to quit art and become a Ninja.
Yakumo grew up torn between dreams.
But her body wouldn't let her be a Ninja.
Immense pressure bred a demon in her subconscious.
Like Long Kui in the fairy tale, her Bloodline Limitbirthed another self: Ido.
But Long Kui was pretty, kind, and loved her brother.
Ido was a "filial" monster; the moment it was born, a fire claimed her parents.
Parents sacrificed right at the start—its power threatened all of Konoha.
Under Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders, Kurenai Yuhi tried to help Yakumo control her power.
She failed and had to seal it.
Yakumo believed Kurenai had crushed her dream and that Konoha had orchestrated her parents' death.
So she came to hate Kurenai and wanted her dead.
After hearing the tale Hinata looked worried.
She knew Kurenai's strength.
It might sound rude, but the woman's life was in danger.
"We have to stop Kurenai-sensei, but once she's set her mind, persuasion is hopeless."
Hinata instinctively hugged Naruto's arm tighter.
Naruto glanced down.
His arm felt two soft presses.
Ahem.
In the original story Kurenai had been stubborn early on.
Naruto's Talk-no-Jutsu wasn't maxed.
And Kurenai stood no chance against Ido.
It would be one-sided.
In that case—
"We knock her out and handle it ourselves."
Naruto proposed the simplest, roughest solution.
"Huh?"
Hinata stared, stunned.
She'd thought tailing their teacher would be the wildest thing she'd ever do, but something even crazier popped up.
Striking a teacher was taboo to her.
Naruto's words were like a devil's whisper.
She nervously twiddled her fingers.
Yet an indescribable thrill rose in her.
As if she'd crossed some threshold.
With a sudden burst Hinata appeared behind Kurenai and knocked her out before she could react.
"Sorry, Kurenai-sensei."
She apologized, cheeks flushed with inexplicable excitement.
Naruto gave a soft grunt of surprise.
He hadn't expected Hinata to actually do it.
Well, well.
He studied her face and was reminded of his past self the first time he read a certain kind of novel—crossing that taboo, cough.
Kagura Minds Eye activated.
Everything inside the Satomi Hill Villa was clear to him.
Four people in total.
Besides Yakumo Kurama, two medical Ninja and one Anbu.
"We knock the other three out first."
"All right."
Hinata nodded without hesitation.
She took the two medics on the left.
Chakra flared over her fists; one punch each and they were out.
It was the first time she'd broken rules so boldly.
And it felt thrilling.