Chapter 13
The people who were scanned finally came to their senses.
They immediately moved their feet, dispersed, and went their separate ways, as if nothing had happened before.
Soon, Naruto spotted Hinata standing there.
And the maid next to Hinata.
Immediately, Naruto's gaze fixed on the pretty maid in a maid outfit.
Dark green ear-length short hair, a slender figure, and the same white eyes as Hinata.
The conservative dark long-sleeved, long-pants home kimono, wrapped in that pristine white maid outfit, had a strangely alluring quality.
Coupled with that look of disdain, a vivid image was complete.
"This maid-elder sister~, she's really pretty..."
"Hey, Uzumaki Naruto." Sako's voice suddenly appearing beside him pulled Naruto's attention back.
"Hinata-sama, let's leave quickly..."
Hyuga Natsu, who didn't want to stay there for another second, immediately pulled Hinata away.
"Naruto-kun~."
Hinata was filled with disappointment.
She kept looking back, her eyes full of the scene of that Uchiha girl and Naruto chatting and laughing... "Uzumaki Naruto, how did you end up like this?"
Sako, who didn't know the truth, wasn't aware of what had happened to Naruto.
Jumping down from the utility pole, she was exceptionally agile, which showed the difference between Uchiha Clan children and others.
"It's for you."
Naruto didn't answer directly, but raised his right hand and handed the mask to Sako.
"Hmph~."
Sako tossed her head proudly, not caring at all.
"I didn't help you to get your gratitude... This is just to repay the favor from last time..."
Uchiha Clan never owed anyone favors.
Even if the last rescue was Uzumaki Naruto's one-sided act, she would still repay it.
"Oh, friend." Naruto, his eyes narrowed into a line, slowly nodded.
"What friend...?"
Sako's gaze flickered over.
"To be my friend, you need to pass many tests to be qualified! Not just anyone is qualified to be my companion!"
In Sako's flickering eyes, there was obvious anticipation.
Because she remembered what Shisui had said that morning.
If she could also find a suitable friend, then Ninjatraining wouldn't be a problem.
Thinking of Naruto's "powerful and swift" abilities, Sako felt that, at first glance, this blond guy was acceptable.
Soon.
Sako began to take Naruto shopping.
She had helped Naruto, repaying the favor, and strictly speaking, he still owed her.
So, a tool person was not to be wasted.
Sako, who started buying vegetables and fruits, immediately made Naruto carry large and small bags.
Although Naruto obediently complied, a small problem still arose during the shopping process.
"How did you manage to be so disliked by both people and dogs?"
Sako sighed.
She found that no matter where they went, the villagers avoided Naruto as if he were the plague.
Even the puppies on the roadside! They stayed far away from Uzumaki Naruto!
'He looks silly... Could it be that people and animals think stupidity is contagious... That would be something.'
Sako muttered to herself.
She didn't know.
Naruto was despised by people because of the Nine-Tailed legend.
As for the animals on the roadside, puppies and kittens, as soon as they smelled Naruto's Chakrafrom afar, they immediately chickened out and took a detour.
In other words, the seemingly harmless Naruto in Sako's eyes was a living devil in the eyes of Konoha residents and animals.
"Maybe it's because I'm too righteous. Righteous people are often ostracized by the rabble..."
Naruto shook his head, and the words he spoke made Sako freeze.
Because Sako hadn't expected Naruto to say such a philosophical statement.
"Too righteous... rabble, huh..."
Although still young, the clever Sako also realized that the Uchiha Police Force's duty was a profession that easily made people keep their distance.
Plus, the Uchiha Clan was an "elite clan."
The word "rabble" really resonated with Sako's heart.
"Alright, Uzumaki Naruto, you've passed my preliminary assessment..."
Sako crossed her arms, looking at Naruto, who was laden with large and small bags, and tentatively acknowledged his qualification.
But to truly become her friend, he would have to undergo continuous rigorous tests.
"Heh..."
The Nine-Tailed, lying behind the iron bars, scoffed at this.
"Children playing house..."
In its opinion, all this talk of making friends was just child's play.
"Uzumaki Naruto, I highly doubt your motives and intentions."
Naruto: "Don't wrongly accuse me, you stinky fox, I really just want to make a friend my age~."
However, the Nine-Tailed didn't believe a single punctuation mark of Naruto's seemingly naive answer!
Upon returning to the Uchiha Clan Compoundentrance, Sako stopped.
"Alright, give me the things."
Taking back the large and small bags of groceries from Naruto, Sako carried these heavy items and walked inside.
"Today's shopping was really easy... So... when will this guy ask for my name?"
Sako, walking and thinking, believed that Narutowould ask for her name a second time.
"So, should I tell him or not?"
However, Sako walked a long way without hearing Naruto call out to her.
"Hey!"
Sako immediately stopped and turned around.
What she saw was... Naruto's departing back, scratching his head as he walked.
"Uzumaki Naruto, that guy... is indeed an idiot~!"
... Afternoon dusk.
Sako, sitting under the eaves of her house, first welcomed her brother home.
"Brother, you're back~."
Sako immediately got up and went to greet him, her eyes sparkling.
Itachi, whose bad mood from the day vanished upon seeing his cute sister, couldn't help but smile.
Soon... Mikoto's return signaled the preparation of dinner.
"Mom, I'll help you."
Mikoto, walking into the kitchen, looked at her daughter who came in to help, and couldn't help but pat her head.
Sako began to wash and pick vegetables.
On the other side, Mikoto couldn't find the matches: "Sako... did you forget to buy matches today?"
"How could I!"
Sako immediately opened the convenience bag.
It contained the kitchen utensils purchased today.
"Huh?"
Sako looked around, indeed finding no trace of matches.
"I clearly bought them..."
... Night climbed high into the sky.
Konoha's nightlife for another day descended.
A bustling scene, no less than during the day, appeared in the Shopping Street.
The cold wind blew, bringing a hint of chill, but it couldn't stop people's enthusiasm for shopping and playing.
Naruto sat on the sloped roof of a shop, looking coldly at the street scene below.
As far as his eyes could see, there were crowds of people.
And very quickly, Naruto's gaze locked onto a familiar shop.
It was... the mask shop.
Clap.
The object tightly held in his left hand was precisely the matches "borrowed" from Sakoduring the day.
Mental world.
The dark sewer became even deeper, even distorted.
Rust had even climbed onto the sealing gate, turning the brand new iron gate into an ancient, decaying creation.
The Nine-Tailed, sensing the change in Naruto's heart, probably guessed what Naruto was about to do.
Nine-Tailed: "Kid... you..."
Chapter Twelve. Uzumaki Naruto? Patriot Naruto!
At the same time, in the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Sako's family had finished their dinner for the day.
Itachi noticed that his sister seemed very excited today, and the smile on her lips was even more obvious.
Had something interesting happened?
So, Itachi got up and called his sister aside to chat.
And Sako's special change today naturally didn't escape her parents' eyes.
"Did Sako encounter something?" Mikoto looked at the retreating figures of the siblings.