As usual, after finishing a day of training and safely seeing the somewhat reluctant Satsuki back to the Uchiha Clan Compound, Naruto set off alone for his apartment.
At this moment, Konoha's streets were at their liveliest in the evening. Pedestrians bustled about, ninjas returning from missions headed for izakayas and barbecue restaurants in twos and threes, warm lights shone from the shops, and children chased one another across open spaces. The entire village was enveloped in a peaceful atmosphere brimming with life.
Also as usual, during the latter half of training, whenever Naruto began developing ninjutsu on his own, Jiraiya would use "something important came up" as an excuse to slip away early. Right now, he was probably in some tavern, drinking merrily with a few newly acquainted "female friends" until he was completely drunk.
Naruto had long grown accustomed to the unreliable behavior of his future teacher.
Just as he passed through a relatively quiet street, something ahead caught his attention. Several children who looked to be only around five years old were gathered beneath a tree, tilting up their little faces and helplessly staring at a red balloon caught between the branches, their expressions full of anxiety.
This scene looked exactly like one of those classic textbook illustrations meant to teach that helping others was a virtue... Naruto grumbled inwardly, but his feet still carried him over.
Under the children's astonished gazes, he merely gave a light leap and easily plucked the balloon from the treetop.
"Here. Hold on to it."
The children took back their lost balloon, and their eyes immediately lit up as they looked at Naruto, filled with pure gratitude and admiration. They shouted in unison, "Thank you, ninja big brother!"
A gentle smile naturally appeared on Naruto's face as he prepared to reply,