Neji: "Don't Come Any Closer!!!"

For some reason, Jiraiya suddenly felt uneasy whenever he heard the term "Child of Prophecy." He had been searching for over a decade without finding any trace of the Child of Prophecy.

In addition, Naruto's words to him some time ago did indeed shake Jiraiya's long-held beliefs.

Naruto's words seem to make sense; this world is a world of people. Wherever there are people, there will be conflict, and the root cause of war is the imbalance of power.

The power of ninjas is too great; for someone to suddenly acquire this power is like a child grasping a knife. Unless the Child of Prophecy is perfect, he is nothing more than a child with immense power.

But how can humans be as perfect as gods? In the end, it's hard to say Child of Prophecy will save or destroy the world; we can only rely on vague prophecies.

"Should I go back to Mount Myōboku?" Jiraiya asked.

Although he had some other thoughts in his mind, he kept things separate. After so many years of sunk costs, he couldn't give up the search for the Child of Prophecy just because of a single idea.

He has given up so much for this mission. Whether or not he finds the Child of Prophecy, he will continue down this path.

"Yes!" Gamatora said solemnly.

The next day.

"Naruto, what you're doing is really inhumane!" Choji frowned, looking timid and hesitant, as if he wanted to criticize him but was afraid of getting himself involved.

"The way you're talking makes it sound like I'm some kind of scumbag." Naruto rolled his eyes, completely oblivious to his own shortcomings. "I just asked Shikamaru to do me a small favor, it's not like I'm going into a fire pit."

"What's the difference between that and going into a fire pit?" Choji muttered under his breath, but Naruto still heard him.

"It's just trying to find out some information indirectly, what's this about going into a fire pit?" he said irritably. "Shikamaru is smart, he'll definitely have a way."

Upon hearing this, Choji couldn't help but agree; Shikamaru was indeed very resourceful. From a young age, he had been smarter than others, and he could easily accomplish the same task that others couldn't.

Choji asked him why, Shikamaru simply said that he thought about things a lot. He considered all aspects and every possibility, and having a contingency plan ensured that things wouldn't go wrong.

"What do you plan to do?" Choji asked.

The question Naruto was, "What are you planning to do?" It seemed like things had reached a dead end, and everyone was waiting for him to make a choice and come up with a solution.

"Find out the details and coax them back one by one," Naruto said casually.

"You're awesome!" Choji admitted defeat.

At noon, under the blazing sun, the two sat on the stone steps outside the convenience store. Above them were lush, Great Green Tree, and outside the store was a long, winding stone staircase.

The Nikko lingers, unable to pierce the dense canopy of the trees.

The two sat in the deep shade of the trees, with several dozen beers and some snacks at their feet. Naruto and Choji were both idle and didn't have to work.

Choji occasionally helped out in the clan, but his father handled the main affairs. All he had to do was eat well and be chubby, and occasionally go out for training.

Naruto wasn't exactly free, but time is like a woman's abyss—you can always squeeze some out. He'd been quite idle these past few days, so he'd simply been hanging out with Choji.

"Naruto, I have to give you some advice. Ino really cares about you, so don't let her down," Choji couldn't help but say.

"Why do you talk so much?" Naruto patted him on the shoulder, not annoyed at all.

"Naruto, I'm telling you the truth."

"I know you have a wife, right, Choji?"

"Yes," Choji, somewhat confused, wondering why Naruto suddenly brought this up. "What's wrong?"

"You should have more time to have more children. Chatting with you is so tiring."

Choji: "."

That bastard really likes to kick someone when they've served their purpose. He was the one who invited me out for drinks, and now he's blaming me. Choji gulped down a few mouthfuls of sake, glancing at Naruto out of the corner of his eye.

Who are you trying to appease?

"Two."

"Two?"

"Are you a broken record?" Naruto stood up, carrying a can of alcohol. "I'm not talking anymore, I have things to do. You should hurry up and start having kids."

"Why don't you have children yourself!" Choji muttered to himself as he watched Choji's departing figure.

Naruto actually heard it, but he didn't turn around, a slight smile playing on his lips. He thought to himself, "Not have any? They underestimate me. Not only will I have some, I'll have two!"

People don't change. If Naruto could be moved by just a few words, he would have followed the Third Hokage's lead long ago.

He never wavered in his decision from beginning to end. He felt that since his reputation wasn't great anyway, he had to stick to his principles and not waver.

After all, this is his business. If he starts to waver because of what others say, then what about all the things he did to Hinata and Ino in the past?

He insisted on his own ideas, which at most earned him some complaints, and his fathers-in-law might dislike him. At worst, they might pour cold water on him or treat him coldly, but that wouldn't bother him.

What will Hinata and Ino think of him? Will they be disappointed? Probably, but he can still win them back if he thinks of a way. At most, he'll get scolded, but it'll all be worth it.

Naruto shouldered everything alone. Whether Hinata and Ino were sad or angry, it was all directed at him. At least he wouldn't fight amongst himself or be torn between two opposing forces.

In other words, he stepped forward and became the target of everyone's attacks; he'll just have to endure it for a while. Once the storm passes, they'll gradually accept it.

At worst, we can contact each other separately, not appear together, and keep it a secret from some people who are far away.

It's better than him confessing and then getting implicated as a good person, at which point he'll clear himself of the situation. But that leaves the two women feeling sorry for themselves and crying Tenten.

Inaction is the real hypocrisy.

Naruto has grown to this level, and given his unique way of doing things, it doesn't seem strange to others even if he does something eccentric.

Not long after, Naruto went to the Hokage Building and headed straight for Shikamaru's office.

When Shikamaru saw Naruto enter, he sighed before he could even speak, and looked up at Naruto.

"You'd better be prepared. The Yamanaka Clan has a lot of opinions about you. I haven't met Ino. But I don't think there will be any good news."

"Lord Inoichi seems to have only vaguely guessed about your relationship with Hinata, and he has a very bad impression of you. But Ino hasn't admitted it, so..."

"The situation is serious." Naruto sat down directly next to Shikamaru's desk and took out a small snack for himself.

Seeing this, Shikamaru couldn't help but laugh, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. He stretched comfortably, his bones cracking and popping all over.

"Looks like you've come up with a solution?"

"Not really, I'm not that sure either," Naruto said. "Things always need to be resolved, and dragging them on isn't a good thing."

Naruto didn't say anything, and Shikamaru didn't press him for details; he just smiled. If it were Choji, he'd probably be scratching his head in frustration, circling Naruto and asking questions.

"Okay, you know what you're doing. This is all I can do for you," he said.

"That's enough, that's enough, you've helped me a lot." Naruto grinned, and before leaving, he even took a tea leaf from Shikamaru, making Shikamaru so angry that he almost cursed.

After Naruto left, looking at the closed door, Shikamaru scratched his head and a smile returned to his face. He slumped back in his chair with a thud, his deadpan eyes glancing at the documents on the table with a helpless expression.

He slowly turned his head, looked at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window, and couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

What was my original dream again? To casually become a ninja, make some money, and marry a woman who was neither pretty nor ugly.

Have one or two more children, a boy and a girl, and retire when they grow up, get married, and start their own families. Spend your days playing shogi and lying in the yard watching the white clouds in the sky.

Living an ordinary life, and dying without any regrets in front of his wife—that's the life he wanted.

Now I think I've achieved about one-tenth of my dream. My wife is about as beautiful as the average woman in the public eye. We're a good match, and she's gentle and virtuous.

I seem to have started a family before everyone else, and now I'm busy with work all day, getting further and further away from a leisurely life. The village needs the Will of Fire, and it needs people to follow in its footsteps.

But in this village, it seems everyone except Naruto is a good person. Matters between great powers cannot be resolved simply with kindness and sincerity.

We must plan ahead, and be ruthless when necessary. Now that things have come to this, Shikamaru understands more and more why the Third Hokage allowed Root to run rampant back then.

The village needs a continuous stream of successors, one after another; it needs someone who forges ahead fearlessly, forever bright and noble. You sit on the high platform, untouched by wind and snow.

There also needs to be someone in the darkness, doing things stained with blood, committing necessary evils. And as time went on, he sensed that he was the most suitable candidate.

Thinking of this, Shikamaru couldn't help but show a conflicted expression. The people around him were all too naive and kind; they never even considered the existence of an enemy beforehand.

There are too many clever people in the world, and he doesn't believe his intelligence is unparalleled in the Shinobi World. However, a person's cleverness is not of great use; on the contrary, it tends to lead to complacency and self-preservation.

Only when truly intelligent people step forward without fear of death and take on responsibilities they are unwilling to assume can all intelligent people be gathered together and put to use.

Thinking of this, Shikamaru closed his eyes.

Kakashi spoke with him last night, and in the conversation, he inquired about his views on Konohagakure. Shikamaru is clever; he knows that Kakashi intends to entrust him with an important task.

After all, he was the first among them to become Chunin, the first to become Jonin, and the first to start a family. In Kakashi's eyes, he was an exceptionally talented prospect.

He didn't agree, only saying he needed to think about it.

Even in peaceful times, some people starve to death on the roadside, while in the Shinobi World wars, some families reunite and become wealthy. The more intelligent a person is, the harder it is for them to overcome the hurdle of their conscience.

Shikamaru, once he accepts a responsibility, must fulfill it. The previous generation either died in war or shed blood for the village.

The village remains the same, its Konohagakure still lush and green. Wherever there is Kakkō, there is a village; the withered leaves burn away, becoming nourishment for generation after generation of new seedlings.

There are always young people graduating from the Ninja Academy, donning tactical vests, grabbing kunai, and recklessly charging forward one after another. Click, click, click.

Shikamaru pondered the matter carefully, not wanting to overlook any possibility.

Meanwhile, Naruto was unaware that Shikamaru was struggling with his thoughts after he left. Since he didn't have to work anyway, and didn't believe in the Will of Fire, he was unlikely to risk his life for the village.

As for Naruto, he felt that he was only Pain in Konohagakure because of his friends, Tsunade, Kakashi, Jiraiya.

As for risking my life, that's impossible; creating a few more people for the village is acceptable.

Before long, he had quietly slipped into the Hyuga compound.

Since Shikamaru had already inquired with Ino for him, he naturally had no choice but to go to Hyuga 'Hinata himself, without fear of being discovered.

Just be careful. If all else fails, we can use Hinata, the head of the Neji clan, as our trump card, which will surely shut up any eyewitnesses.

As for why he chose the Hinata, firstly, the Hinata recently changed hands, making it easier to infiltrate without the Main Family and Branch Family. Secondly, he had never been to the Yamanaka Clan camp before and was unfamiliar with it, making infiltration difficult.

Third, Hyuga Hiashi never really liked him from the start. Unlike Ino's parents, Naruto could sense that they were capable of accepting him.

However, now that his dirty trick has been exposed, it's hard for the other party not to turn their love into hatred. The more they liked him before, the more they can hate him now.

Therefore, he chose to send Shikamaru to scout the situation. Shikamaru naturally had an impeccable excuse, and Inoichi Yamanaka would not vent his anger on Shikamaru.

Having figured out the situation with the Yamanaka Clan for the time being, only the Hyuga Clan remains. Naruto doesn't even intend to inquire further; he can guess the general outline.

Hyuga Hiashi wouldn't yell or shout; he would only tell Hinata in the most authoritative tone not to disgrace the clan. Hinata's gentleness would surely put her in a dilemma.

Naruto already had a plan in mind for this.

He first found Neji, Neji silently climbed in through the window. It was Naruto who had caught him off guard, and he was stunned for a while before he realized what was happening.

What brings you here?

"Just browsing around. Don't worry, no one saw me on the way." Naruto landed, clapped his hands, and got straight to the point, "Neji, can you find a way to bring Hinata here?"

"This..." Neji seemed somewhat embarrassed. "Did you contact Hinata beforehand?"

"Yes, we've been in contact."

"That's good." Neji secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can't get through, I can't get in touch with them." Naruto found a chair and sat down casually.

Neji: "."

"This isn't a good idea. If we can't get in touch, even if I look for Hinata, she'll probably figure out it's you. What if she doesn't come?"

Neji seemed to be in a dilemma, torn between Naruto and his cousin.

"Although I am now the clan leader, I still need to consult Lord Hiashi on many matters. Ahem... if this is discovered, we'll both be in trouble."

Naruto understood Neji's concerns and waved his hand, saying...

"Don't worry, just go ahead and look for it. I know what I'm doing, nothing will happen."

Neji: "."