radicalducati Chapter 320 Having a Meal
Chapter 320 Having a Meal
"You've really made a name for yourself this time,"
Hozuki Castle is a place where serious criminals of the ninja world are imprisoned, mostly ninjas with criminal records involving multiple villages. Naturally, the Five Great Nations are extremely concerned about the movements of Hozuki Castle. However, the seemingly peaceful prison suddenly caused a huge commotion. The seemingly law-abiding Grass Village had actually been harboring evil intentions, secretly possessing an extremely dangerous weapon. They activated the weapon by kidnapping a Jinchuriki from Takigakure Village, and in a very unprofessional manner, the weapon went out of control, jumping out of its box and wreaking havoc, causing huge casualties and losses.
Just then, Konoha's Jinchuriki happened to be in a place across the sea from Hozuki Castle. As soon as he noticed something was wrong, he rushed to the scene and quickly destroyed the weapon. He also helped the prison capture all the prisoners who tried to escape in the chaos.
If we disregard the suspicious coincidences, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki did indeed do something truly extraordinary.
"Stop teasing me, having this kind of fame isn't a good thing."
During a rare get-together with friends, the conversation gradually shifted from everyday matters to recent major events. Gamabunta's enormous size had been witnessed by many, and Sasuke's whereabouts couldn't be revealed, so Naruto's name had to be prominent—prominent enough to shoulder the entire burden of what happened in Hozuki Castle. In the ninja world, strength is paramount. While Naruto's previous actions were significant, they didn't fully showcase his individual power. This time, however, he "single-handedly" defeated the monster in the Box of Elysium and prevented the escape of all the ninjas in the prison—each feat requiring absolute strength.
At this moment, the ninja world realized that Konoha, which was so lucky, had probably produced another "genius".
"Come on, even my dad, that rigid guy, praised you a few times after seeing the news," Kiba complained, and Akamaru next to him raised his head and barked a few times in agreement. It had been a while since he'd seen Akamaru, and he had gone from being big enough to be lifted up to being a bit of a struggle to pick him up. Seeing Akamaru so full of energy, it really made him nostalgic.
"Trespassing is definitely not a good charge. If he doesn't help, just wait and see if the other countries will find a reason to pursue the matter," Shikamaru said listlessly. "Why do you always manage to cause something different every time you go out? Try to avoid trouble."
Naruto shrugged and said, "This time it was the neighbor's fault for blowing up, so why should I blame them?"
"...What about the mark? You really think you can just give away amulets on a whim?"
Naruto tried to recall the number of marks he had scattered, but found that it seemed impossible to count them, so he simply gave Shikamaru a bright smile.
Shikamaru understood the meaning behind that smile and desperately suppressed the urge to roll his eyes to the heavens. This guy hadn't learned his lesson at all; he'd do it again next time!
"Speaking of which, why didn't you guys participate in the Chunin Exams this year? It's not because I'm one of the examiners, is it?" Naruto tried to change the subject.
"How could that be? I just feel like I haven't made up for the things I'm lacking yet." Ino generously pulled Sakura out and said, "I recently took the medical licensing exam, and thanks to Sakura for helping me highlight the key points, although the results haven't come out yet, I'm sure I passed."
Sakura responded absentmindedly, her mind completely elsewhere, lost in thought.
Naruto knew why Sakura was like this. Her words in the Land of Frost weren't a joke; Sakura really did go to Tsunade for advice after returning, and that's why she's like this now. It seems it will take her some time to accept it.
"By the way, has Neji been holding any important positions in the clan lately?" Naruto turned his gaze to Guy's team, who were silently showing off their grilled meat.
The person whose name was mentioned put down the chopsticks that were reaching for the center and said in a nonchalant tone, "It's just a sinecure. Lord Hiashi said I still need to gain a few more years of experience. Recently, I've been helping Hinata practice her new technique."
Hinata, who was standing not far away, was startled when her name was suddenly called, and then she was grabbed by Ino and Tenten.
Ino said, "Hinata, you've been practicing new techniques behind our backs! Are you even a good sister anymore?!"
"The technique is still in the exploratory stage." Hinata's shyness in front of others has been largely overcome, and she no longer stutters. "I want to wait until I have some progress before telling everyone..."
"But you should also pay attention to the level of practice, lest you end up like someone who had to be hospitalized because of meridian problems." Neji's words struck Naruto, who was trying to reveal some information, and strangely, they had a hint of the sharp tongue he used when he was younger.
Naruto's first reaction was to lower his head in embarrassment, and then he used his super senses to investigate. But Sakura, who had been distracted for half the meal, snapped back to reality, grabbed Hinata's hand, and focused on the examination. With a professional present, he, a half-baked doctor who had become knowledgeable through long illness, shouldn't embarrass himself.
"The meridians in your forearm and palm show signs of overwork; you really should adjust the frequency of your practice."
"I understand..." Hinata replied softly, raising her gaze in what she thought was a discreet gesture, only to meet a pair of bright blue eyes.
Those eyes held a hint of apology, but her tone was entirely teasing as she said, "My case isn't a good example. It would hurt a lot, no matter what state you're in, and anesthesia might not even work. Please don't try it!"
After the little incident, the busy teenagers soon had to leave. Sakura had to go to work, and Ino was going to do her internship with her. Lee had been challenging Neji to a fight for days, and now that he'd finally met him, he insisted on going to the training grounds to fight first. Tenten, worried that the two of them would get into another fight, dragged Hinata along to watch. Seeing his teammates working so hard, Kiba went back to training full of energy. Shikamaru had a mountain of work to do, and Naruto had been drafted by the Hokage, so there was no one to help him with his troubles. Choji, on the other hand, was relatively free. He was planning to leisurely walk back to digest his food when he noticed Shino, who had been rather unnoticed, striding towards Naruto and extending an invitation.
I'm a little curious, but I don't think it's something he should get involved in.
"Your father invited me to your house?" Naruto was a little surprised, but not much. "...If it were you who invited me, I could go, but if it's your father, then it's not really appropriate."
"You want me to invite them?" Shino didn't quite understand the intricacies of the conversation, but that didn't stop him from taking action. "I just obtained a very good insect and would like to use your chakra to test its absorption limits."
"Understood, let's go."
Shino is an honest man, and he did indeed obtain a batch of excellent special parasitic insects. These insects could devour chakra several times faster and in greater quantities than ordinary parasitic insects, making them ideal for defeating enemies in a single blow during battle. Actually, he was used to testing his insects on Naruto; after all, Konoha couldn't find another person who had absorbed a large amount of chakra and remained unharmed. However, cultivating parasitic insects takes a very long time, so he naturally didn't seek them out as often as he did with others who challenged Naruto to fights.
So, the reason why Shino has such a low profile is really just because she's too quiet.