The One Thing I Hope You'll Explain Clearly

"After Sasuke left," Ino asked, "You've been spending your time teaming up with people everywhere to do missions, haven't you?"

"I guess so, but those missions were forced on me by Lord Tsunade," Naruto sighed. "I'd rather stay home and do nothing."

"That's impossible!"

"Hey you, get your act together!" Ino sighed, glancing at Naruto. "Shikamaru's already Chunin, don't you want to become Chunin too?"

For these teenagers, the title of ninja held an allure as strong as a certification exam. While gaining recognition Chunin didn't guarantee increased strength, it was a necessary step towards becoming Jonin.

Hmm. But he doesn't care.

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Naruto, somewhat taken aback. "Shouldn't the Chunin Ninja Exams be next summer?"

"How should I put it?" Ino turned her head away. "Lord Tsunade is treating you like one of her own, so you should at least pull yourself Qidian."

"Her? Forget it." Naruto said without any mercy. "I have about seven days of vacation now, so I don't want to get close to that woman."

Tsunade has been giving out missions to everyone she meets lately, and Naruto has secretly nicknamed Tsunade "Mission Princess." He absolutely avoids Tsunade's sight unless absolutely necessary.

Time to slack off is limited, but tasks are endless.

Kakashi, the Sixth Hokage candidate, was completely numb, constantly traveling between the Land of Snow and the Land of Wind to complete missions.

Occasionally, he also needs to step in and save the day between different teams, cleaning up the messes made by unreliable juniors. He's a veteran of Konohagakure's missions, practically Jonin during the early years of the Fifth Hokage's reign.

"Um... if I don't go on a mission, I'll probably be taken away for training, right?" Ino suddenly said.

"Huh?" Naruto looked confused. "What training? I don't know anything about it?"

"Of course you don't know." Ino sighed, puffing out her cheeks as she looked at Naruto. "I heard from Father yesterday that Lord Jiraiya has returned to the village."

"What does that have to do with me?" Naruto said nonchalantly. "Anyway, I'm not going to train. The Pervy Sage probably knows about it too."

"Why? Lord Jiraiya should be one of the Legendary Sannin, right?" Ino asked, puzzled.

"That's true, but they're two completely different things," Naruto said, scratching his face. "Training under the Pervy Sage is also very stressful."

"I don't want to become any big shot; maintaining the status quo is already good enough."

"What you're saying is a bit infuriating!" Ino said, leaning on the counter, somewhat annoyed.

"Why?"

"I've seen that your mission completion rate is almost 100%, even for missions of difficulty A. Although your reputation isn't great, your skills always improve very quickly."

"There's no need to talk about public opinion," Naruto somewhat awkwardly.

"So hearing you say that you just want to maintain the status quo suddenly makes me a little annoyed." Ino stared at Naruto's face and said, "It seems like I haven't improved much since the Chunin Ninja Exams."

After becoming Genin, the group gradually saw their shortcomings and deficiencies during a six-month mission training period, and also saw their own path clearly.

Sasuke defected and embarked on a path of revenge.

Hinata solidified her belief in becoming a qualified ninja, not seeking to surpass Neji, but simply hoping not to hold him back. She aimed to be a reliable comrade within the team.

Neji hopes to break free from his constraints and find the answer to freedom through his own strength. Rock Lee, burning with youthful passion, relentlessly strives to become the supreme master of Taijutsu.

Tenten has become a qualified tool, with commendable performance in Taijutsu, but with the added advantage of wealth and status, she has become an essential companion for home and travel.

But there are many who have gone astray among them, and Sakura is one of them.

Naruto had absolutely no goals, working sporadically and having no interest in Hokage Position whatsoever. If he wasn't on a mission, he could easily lie around for days on end.

Rather than saying Naruto got lost, it's more accurate to say he never intended to go anywhere.

Like dandelion seeds, they drift wherever they land. If they fall into the sea, they'll just keep floating. But this guy's strength keeps increasing, which is baffling.

"Ino, I have a way to improve your strength."

"What method?"

"Special training, huh?" Naruto had lost his appetite. He put his plate back in the food box and stared at Ino with a serious expression. "I'll give you special training."

"You?" Ino's expression was somewhat complicated. "Hearing you say that, although I am very grateful, I can't imagine what kind of good special training methods you could have."

"Don't underestimate people, you bastard!"

"Won't our bodies be overlapping?" Ino glanced at him and asked.

"What do you take me for? I was just offering a suggestion." Naruto was utterly speechless. "Remember that Furniture Store downstairs from my house?"

Upon hearing this, Ino raised an eyebrow.

She had just talked to Naruto about a bunch of random things, and she actually felt much better. Her anxiety about the future had also eased considerably.

Naruto was well aware of this, and when Ino said those things, he started spouting nonsense with a straight face.

The most important thing in alleviating Ino's anxiety is not what to do in the future, but what to do now to make her happy.

As a Genin whose strength far surpasses hers, Ino finds his subtle and outlandish advice more useful than his lengthy, high-level pronouncements.

"That big Furniture Store?" Ino asked.

"Yeah, it went out of business. It's a lot of space there. I can buy it and use it as a training ground," Naruto said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"If you have time, we can train together."

"Idiot! I'm not going!" Ino made a face and scoffed, "Do you think I'm stupid? You're trying to trick me into going to your place."

"I won't be so easily fooled!"

"Eh? You're making me sad." Naruto frowned. "I just want Ino to become stronger, then all your troubles will disappear, right?"

Ino: "."

"Someone like you who secretly chills their bathwater has absolutely no credibility when saying something like that! Hey!!"

"That was an accident, listen to my excuse." He reached out and grasped Ino's hand, which was hanging limply on the counter. "No, let me explain!"

When Ino realized her hand was being held, her body stiffened instantly. Her reaction was incredibly cute, like a cat frozen in place, and a blush spread from her cheeks all the way down to the base of her neck.

"Let go first!" she stammered.

"You blush even after being caught several times? What an adorable reaction." Naruto casually remarked.

"Go to hell!! Pervert!" Ino abruptly pulled her hand away, covering herself with her other hand, and frowned as she stared at the blond-haired man, saying, "Don't suddenly grab my hand!"

"Then next time can I arrest him openly and honestly?"

"Absolutely! No way!" Ino refused without hesitation, her attitude firm. "We're not that close, please don't do anything groping!"

Ino was very pleased with Naruto's reaction, and he propped his head up with his hand while staring at Ino and smiling.

Winter is coming soon, you...

A few thuds sounded, as if someone upstairs had accidentally fallen. A cry of surprise rang out, and the elegant Yamanaka Rino staggered to her balance at the corner of the stairs.

She happened to make eye contact with the two people at the counter, and Mrs. Yamanaka looked slightly embarrassed when she realized that she had been discovered.

"This staircase is a bit old; we'll have to find someone to replace it later."

"Mother," Ino said, her face darkening. "You weren't eavesdropping the whole time, were you?"

"Cough, how could that be?" Yamanaka Rino covered her mouth and chuckled, gracefully descending the stairs. "I was just going downstairs, who knew this staircase would be so..."

Looking at her mother, who had lost all her usual elegance, Ino felt somewhat helpless.

"Mother, it's wrong to eavesdrop."

"Ino, I didn't hear your conversation." Yamanaka Rino, dressed in an elegant long dress, walked to the flower bed and began to water and tend to it.

Upon hearing this, Ino finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next second, Yamanaka Rino, with her back to the two of them, said something without turning her head.

"I still get an upset stomach if I refrigerate the bath water."

Ino stiffly turned her head, met Naruto's gaze, and her pupils dilated sharply. Naruto understood her meaning, quickly picked up the food box, stood up, and spoke to Yamanaka Rino.

"Auntie, it's getting late, I should head back now."

"Won't you stay a little longer?" Yamanaka Rino turned and asked with a smile, "Ino?"

"Mother!" Ino exclaimed urgently, interrupting Yamanaka Rino, "That... that!"

Ino blushed and pushed Naruto out of the shop. She turned around, closed the door, and said to Yamanaka Rino inside.

"Mother, I'll kick that guy out first."

"Are you coming back tonight?" Yamanaka Rino asked with a smile.

"I'm right at the door! Mother, please don't say things like that." Ino had a headache and slammed the shop door shut.

When she turned around, she found Naruto watching her from a short distance away, showing no intention of leaving.

"My mother... Anyway, don't overthink it." Ino was a little tired, having such a mother who seemed serious but was unreliable when it mattered most.

Unfortunately, the blond-haired guy in front of her wasn't exactly an honest person either. Seeing his feigned innocent expression, Ino couldn't hold back any longer. She took a few steps forward, grabbed Naruto's clothes, and dragged him to a dimly lit street corner.

What's with that expression?

"I was just thinking about Ino, hahaha!" Naruto laughed out loud.

"Don't laugh!" Ino grabbed Naruto by the neck, threatening him with a cute but fierce look. "And... there's something else, since things are already like this, I'll just ask!"

"What?"

"You can play dumb if you want. Although I don't really care about this kind of thing, but!" Ino brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and stared at Naruto.

There's something I want you to make clear.

"Between me and Hinata, who are you closest to?"

"Huh?" He was stunned, his mind filled with a hundred questions. That's it?

Thousands of days!