Injured Hinata

The next day.

Naruto opened his eyes in bed, stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling for a second, and then remembered that he had moved.

He groggily sat up in bed, staring silently at the dimly lit room. The apartment was silent, and there was no knocking at the door.

For unknown reasons, it appears that the higher-ups have not restarted the oversight process for the Jinchuriki in the Anbu.

It seems like someone deliberately intervened.

Kakashi didn't have that power, so the only person he was close to was one person.

"I am the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, what's with you calling me a Pervy Sage?"

Jiraiya lay on the roof, complained for a while, then put away his binoculars, stood up, and looked at Naruto with a displeased expression.

"I heard you released the Nine-Tails a few days ago?"

"Ah."

Naruto, wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt, stood on the rooftop, gazing into the distance, and said nonchalantly.

"They've been released."

"You're really something." Jiraiya became interested. "You really think you're so tough?"

"However, the higher-ups really can't do anything about you. Konohagakure has never had Perfect Jinchuriki before, and you've given them hope. Even if you do something excessive, you can still get the higher-ups' tolerance."

"Can someone like me really be tolerated?" Naruto yawned, put his hands in his pockets, and looked at Jiraiya with dead fish eyes. "Pervy Sage, don't try to fool a child."

"I'm curious how you did it? You... you've already seen the Nine-Tails, haven't you?"

"Um."

"So what do you think?" Jiraiya asked.

"Nothing much, just an ordinary Tailed Beast," Naruto replied.

"For you to say something like that, really..." Jiraiya was speechless, staring at Naruto for a few seconds. "What's this new term, 'ordinary Tailed Beast '?"

Naruto didn't answer the question; after a half-minute silence, he asked.

"You sent your Anbu to find me just to ask this?"

"Not really." Jiraiya turned his gaze to Naruto. "Naruto, train with me."

"Don't want."

"What?" Jiraiya hadn't expected Naruto to refuse so decisively. "Don't you want to become stronger?"

"Think."

"I am the legendary Toad Sage, one of the Legendary Sannin!"

"Don't want."

"Why?"

"There's no reason why, I just don't want to practice."

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya was greatly surprised. He stared at Naruto for a few seconds before speaking.

"How can one become stronger with such laziness?"

"I don't know." Naruto said bluntly, "I have no interest in such a troublesome thing as training. I'd rather stay home, sleep, and read."

"Anyway, if you're too strong, you'll be suspected, or you'll be assigned some inexplicable dangerous missions."

"Your logic is indeed flawed," Jiraiya sighed. "It's fine for you to say it to me, but you'd better not say anything carelessly at the High-level Meeting in a while."

"Since you are unwilling to cultivate, then come with me to find someone. Once we find someone, I will no longer force you to cultivate."

"Whether I look for it or not, I won't cultivate."

"Your oversight is in my hands," Jiraiya said.

"Who should I look for?"

Seeing Naruto compromise, Jiraiya's expression softened, and he said.

"Legendary Sannin, one of the Tsunade, is also the future Fifth Hokage."

"I've heard of that." Naruto nodded. "The Pervy Sage could totally be the Fifth Hokage, right?"

"You little brat, you know quite a lot," Jiraiya, narrowing his eyes. "You've been getting close to the Yamanaka Clan lately? Where did you hear that?"

"More or less," Naruto replied dismissively.

"My destiny was already set." Jiraiya patted Naruto on the shoulder, turned around, and struck what he thought was a cool pose.

"Kid, a hero doesn't stay in one place forever."

"This is the way of a true man to endure!"

"Hmm." Naruto still had a deadpan expression.

"Your attitude is really cold, Naruto. What is your ninja way?" Jiraiya asked.

"Alive".

"Don't say such discouraging things, you little brat, you're really unlucky." Jiraiya patted Naruto's shoulder a few times. "Forget it, the most important thing now is to find Tsunade."

"The High-level Meeting on how to deal with you will be held soon. The Fifth Hokage also has a lot of voting power. Finding Tsunade will not do you any harm."

"Knew."

"However, you don't need to worry too much. Although I don't know how you got involved with the Yamanaka Clan, the Ino-Shika-Cho have always been of one mind, and the two advisors' attitudes are acceptable."

"Besides, I also have voting rights, hehe."

Jiraiya set a departure date: tomorrow morning.

It was still early, so Naruto slowly turned into the alley, intending to buy some things. His new apartment was too empty; he hadn't had time to buy many things yet.

The furniture in the old apartment was almost all ruined by the rain, and Naruto was too lazy to move it around.

Halfway there, he suddenly remembered something.

Tayuya is Tayuya still holed up in that abandoned building. I'm leaving tomorrow, so I'll try to visit her tonight.

The path was dappled with tree shadows and somewhat deserted. Apart from a dead end leading to Konohagakure Street, the other fork in the road Hyuga Clan's residence.

Naruto discovered the dead end while wandering around, and just over there was Konohagakure Street 404.

As he was thinking, he looked up and saw the back of a girl with a limp in the distance. She was short, had short hair, and wore long sleeves and pants. She glanced at Naruto and quickly walked over.

"What's wrong with you?"

". nothing."

Hinata was startled, and when she realized it was Naruto, her face instantly turned red. She stood frozen in place, looking embarrassed and nervous.

"You twisted your ankle?"

"No." Hinata hurriedly shook her head, not daring to look up at Naruto, her voice instantly dropping, "I can do it myself, Naruto, you don't need to worry about this."

"What?" Naruto squatted down and slowly rolled up Hinata's trouser leg. "You always try to be strong in weird ways."

Hinata blushed deeply, her whole body trembling slightly. "Naruto!"

"One of your legs is almost entirely bruised, and there's a five-centimeter-long scratch. Aren't you going to treat it?" Naruto squatted down and looked up, meeting Hinata's uneasy gaze.

Hinata lowered her head, a look of unease on her face.

Naruto gently touched the bruise, and Hinata immediately let out a soft moan.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"Huh? I..." Hinata's hands clenched together nervously, her two thumbs twisting back and forth due to excessive tension. "I can do it myself."

"That... Hinata."

"What?"

Naruto didn't get up; he remained squatting and pointed upwards at Hinata's uneasy finger, asking a question.

Are you going to Hand Seals for me?

"Ah, no!" Hinata suddenly pulled her hands away from their clasped hands and awkwardly placed them behind her back.