Questions

"Is strength really that important, Pervy Sage?"

Naruto was filled with confusion.

He wasn't the boy from the original story who experienced Sasuke for power, so his feelings about certain things weren't very profound. As Naruto, the son of the Fourth, Jiraiya's disciple, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... it's also difficult for him to empathize with those who lack power. He finds it hard to understand why some people who have lost their country, family, and even their relatives would resort to any means to gain power, and he doesn't understand why the weak would be willing to pay such a price to obtain power.

Just as others may find it difficult to understand why Jinchūriki who suffers from invisible discrimination by the entire village, which has even led to a form of passive violence, would so desperately crave recognition and respect from others.

Jiraiya's smile vanished, and his expression turned serious.

"Naruto, you've seen it all during these two years of training with me, haven't you? Those people from countries affected by war, invaded by great powers—they may have once lived peaceful and happy lives, but because they lacked the power to resist, their countries were invaded, their economies collapsed, and their cities were ruined. Families died tragically in the war, and those who survived endured hunger and cold, struggling on the brink of death... Many people's fates are even more tragic than yours; they lost both parents and lived lives worse than death. Compared to them, you are already incredibly fortunate!"

Naruto paused for a moment.

"So that's why they crave power so much..." He lowered his eyes and said heavily, "Is it to rebel against this tragic fate?"

Jiraiya nodded. "The area around Hoshigakure has been relatively peaceful these past few years, but no one knows when war will break out... As long as we don't want to fall into the same state as the Land of Rain, the Hoshikage must find a way to make Hoshigakure stronger. On this point, whether it's Akahoshi, Natsuhiboshi, or the previous Hoshikage and the one before that, they all agree."

Naruto frowned and thought deeply for a while (which was quite rare).

Then, out of the blue, he blurted out a sentence--

"If I take the Star Meteorite, wouldn't I be harming them?"

Jiraiya chuckled, "How could that be? Don't worry, the Fifth Hoshikage has her own way of handling things!"

Ultimately, even though Akahoshi's abilities didn't match his ambitions and he suffered the Akahoshi, his goal of making Hoshigakure stronger was the same as that of all the previous Hoshikage; his only difference with Natsuhiboshi was whether or not to use Star Meteorite for training. In other words, they were on different paths.

However, the struggle over which the party line is drawn can sometimes be even more brutal than the struggle between the enemy and ourselves... I won't go into details here.

Orochimaru's defection can be seen as a struggle between him and the Third Hokage, which resulted in the Third Hokage almost personally eliminating him. Jiraiya had a deep impression of this, but there was no need to explain such things to Naruto.

"I also have some knowledge of the Mysterious Peacock Method," Jiraiya added. "Actually, Ninjutsu that condenses Chakra into a tangible form isn't particularly rare. Your Tailed Beast Cloak and the Raikage's Lightning Release Mode are just examples. I've seen records in the Toad Clan's library; the Mysterious Peacock Method has a much longer history than the Hoshigakure. This Ninjutsu existed before the Star Meteorite fell."

"In other words, the original Mysterious Peacock Method did not require the use of Star Meteorite for training. It was an extremely powerful Ninjutsu, and also an extremely difficult Ninjutsu, comparable to your Wind Release: Rasengan! However, the radioactive properties of Star Meteorite can efficiently activate Chakra, helping Star Ninja lower the entry barrier, thus transforming what was originally a high-difficulty Ninjutsu that only a few elites could practice into a popular Ninjutsu."

"However, every advantage has its disadvantages. While the Star Meteorite reduces the difficulty of the Mysterious Peacock Method, it also seems to lower its ceiling... At least as far as I know, Hoshigakure hasn't produced any famous masters in recent years! That's why Natsuhiboshi plans to abandon the Star Meteorite and return to traditional training methods. Perhaps she believes that power gained through shortcuts is unreliable and unsustainable."

At this point, Jiraiya patted Naruto on the shoulder and turned to leave.

"Let's go, Naruto!"

"Wait for me, Pervy Sage!"

Naruto shouted.

Jiraiya hadn't fully grasped Naruto's long explanation; however, he at least understood one thing: trying to gain power easily through shortcuts would likely backfire. The growth of power cannot be achieved through trickery or luck!

Therefore, I need to work even harder! Naruto told himself silently.

He clenched his fist tightly and quickened his pace to catch up.

Under the same starry sky and the same moonlight, Naruto was traveling hard under the stars and moon, while his sisters in Konoha were comfortably soaking in the hot springs.

Hinata and Ino had a pleasant conversation—mainly because they had a lot in common when they disliked someone's most regrettable body parts.

Sakura Haruno was annoyed. Although she didn't yearn to grow up like a typical girl and didn't care much about her slightly lacking in physical attributes, being constantly teased would make anyone unhappy. Haku also had a dry laugh, because she was only slightly better than the pink-haired girl and was inevitably affected by the words of the two gifted girls.

However, Sakura also had her own way of retaliating: It's okay if I don't have it, as long as you do!

She transformed into a female hooligan, pouncing on Hinata and pressing her face against those two soft, white mounds of flesh. "Hinata, I'm your fan~!"

The feel, the texture—it feels like if I added even one more word, it would be automatically taken down... Anyway, the biggest advantage of time travel with a transformation is that you can openly enjoy these benefits, right?

"Get out, get out, get out!" Hinata pushed her away with a look of disgust. "Go find Ino to carry you, she's the boss!"

The girls' gazes subtly swept over Hinata and Ino. Ino even patted her chest, gesturing a couple of times, before modestly saying, "No, no, I still can't compare to Hinata."

Then the two began to flatter each other in various ways, praising each other on the surface while secretly comparing themselves. After outshining Sakura and Shiro, the two who had just been united against outsiders began to fight amongst themselves, trying to determine who was better.

Ah, woman.

Sakura Haruno knew these two fake besties would act this way. But objectively speaking, based on her on-site investigation, Hinata should be a little older— Ino expressed respect for Sakura's opinion.

Perhaps it was the steaming hot spring water and the open and honest environment that made it easier for people to open up, but the topics the girls discussed were quite risqué and in-depth, which greatly cleansed and educated Sakura Haruno's pure heart.

The word "pure" is used here because many of these facts are things Sakura Haruno is truly hearing for the first time—including those from her past and present lives.

For example, girls like Hinata and Ino have to wear special sports vests for daily training and missions. Otherwise, a single high-intensity battle could cause serious damage to the ligaments in their chest area—where there are no muscles or bones to support them—and then they'd be waiting to be scolded by the medical-nin when they returned to the village...

For example, how should one handle the monthly menstrual period? In special circumstances (mainly during battle), Medical Ninjutsu can be used to postpone or pause it with minimal side effects; however, it's generally best to let nature take its course. Sanitary napkins are much better than disrupting the body's functions with Medical Ninjutsu. "But I strongly recommend tampons," Hinata said, speaking from experience. "You'll know once you've used them."

Things like that.

These topics are both boring and unappealing, but just as a beautiful girl's poop will never be a pink, fragrant mess, the girls in the Hokage world also have many embarrassing and unattractive troubles that they need to face and overcome on their own.

Fortunately, for the pink-haired girl who is proficient in Chakra manipulation, most of these problems can be easily solved with Ninjutsu —so they are not a problem for her.

Sakura Haruno can listen to the girls' conversations and complaints with a relaxed, detached attitude.

There's really nothing to complain about, isn't there? Compared to those impoverished civilians plagued by parasitic diseases, compared to those whose homes have been destroyed by war and whose lives are hanging by a thread, compared to the Star Ninja Naruto encountered who made themselves sick in their pursuit of power... these girls can still sit here soaking in a hot spring and discussing who's the most beautiful, and they can still have happy and carefree lives. There's really no need to complain!

"People become sentimental when peace lasts too long." Sakura Haruno covered her eyes with a towel and sat to the side, thinking silently, "Someone like me, who fights Akatsuki's formidable enemies to the death every now and then, would never care about these kinds of things!"

Night deepened.